erhaps presently the right to feed me?"

"For a few minutes," he answered.

"Don't be so sure. It may be an hour."

"I want it," he said, "for longer."

Something in his tone suddenly broke through the easy lightness of their
conversation. She stole a swift side-glance at him, and understood.

"Come," she said, "you and I are setting every one here a bad example.
This is not an occasion for /tete-a-tetes/. We should be doing our duty
and talking a little to every one. Let us go back and make up for lost
time."

She rose to her feet, but found him standing in the way. For once the
long humorous mouth was set fast, his eyes were no longer full of the
shadow of laughter, his tone had a new note in it, the note which a
woman never fails to understand.

"Dear Lady Caroom," he said, "I was not altogether jesting."

She looked him in the eyes.

"Dear friend," she answered, "I know that you were not, and so I think
that we had better go back."

He detained her very gently.

"It is the dearest hope I have in life," he said, softly. "Do not let
me run the risk of being misunderstood. Will you be my wife?"

She shook her head. There were tears in her eyes, but her gesture was
significant enough.

"It is impossible," she said. "I have loved another man all my life."

He offered her his arm at once.

"Then I believe," he said, in a low tone, "in the old saying--that a
glimpse of paradise is sufficient to blind the strongest man...."

They passed into the reception-room, and came face to face with Brooks.
She held out her hand.

"Come, you have no right here," she declared. "You are not even a
Member of Parliament." He laughed.

"What about you?"

"Oh, I am an inspiration!"

"I don't believe," he said, "that you realize in the least what is going
to happen."

"I do!" she answered. "I am going to make you relieve Lord Hennibul,
and take me to have an ice."

They moved off together. Hennibul stood looking after them for a
moment. Then he sighed and turned slowly away.

"If it's Arranmore," he said to himself, "why on earth doesn't he marry
her?"

Lady Caroom was more silent than usual. She complained of a headache,
and Brooks persuaded her to take champagne instead of the ice.

"What is the matter with you to-night?" she asked, looking at him
thoughtfully. "You look like a boy--with a dash of the bridegroom."

He laughed joyously.

"You should read the evening papers--you would understand a little th