ch at the bottom of the steps, and
plunged ponderously into the boat, which dipped and careened under her,
whereat she shrieked, and implored Mr. Smithson to save her.

All this, occupied some minutes, and gave Lesbia and the Cuban just
time for a few words that had to be said somehow.

'Good-night,' said Montesma, as they clasped hands; 'good-night;' and
then in a lower voice he said, 'Well, have you decided at last? Shall it
be?'

She looked at him for a moment or so, pale in the starlight, and then
murmured an almost inaudible syllable.

'Yes.'

He bent quickly and pressed his lips upon her gloved hand, and when Mr.
Smithson looked round they two were standing apart, Montesma in a
listless attitude, as if tired of waiting for his host.

It was Smithson who handed Lesbia into the boat and arranged her wraps,
and hung over her tenderly as he performed those small offices.

'Now really,' he asked, just before the boat put off, 'when are we to be
with you to-morrow?'

'Lady Kirkbank says not till afternoon tea, but I think you may come a
few hours earlier. I am not at all sleepy.'

'You look as if you needed sleep badly,' answered Smithson. 'I'm afraid
you are not half careful enough of yourself. Good-night.'

The boat was gliding off, the oars dipping, as he spoke. How swiftly it
shot from his ken, flashing in and out among the yachts, where the lamps
were burning dimly in that clear radiance of new-born day.

Montesma gave a tremendous yawn as he took out his cigar-case, and he
and Mr. Smithson did not say twenty words between them during the walk
to Formosa, where servants were sitting up, lamps burning, a great
silver tray, with brandy, soda, liqueurs, coffee, in readiness.

CHAPTER XLIII.

'ALAS, FOR SORROW IS ALL THE END OF THIS'

Lady Kirkbank retired to her cabin directly she got on board the
_Cayman_.

'Good-night, child! I am more than half asleep,' she said; 'and I think
if there were to be an earthquake an hour hence I should hardly hear it.
Go to your berth directly, Lesbia; you look positively awful. I have
seen girls look bad after balls before now, but I never saw such a
spectre as you look this morning.'

Poor Georgie's own complexion left something to be desired. The _Blanc
de Fedora_ had been a brilliant success for the first two hours: after
that the warm room began to tell upon it, and there came a greasiness,
then a streakiness, and now all that was left of an alabaster s