he prettiest pink flush on her cheek,
consented.

She talked about the rooms, the opera, the archduke, until Basil almost
groaned aloud. There was his beautiful queen, with her face full of
poetry and her eyes of love. Yet if he could but have had both hearts,
he would have seen that pretty, simple Nellie Masham, who talked
innocent little commonplaces to him, was worth a thousand of such women
as Lady Amelie Lisle. But it is not given to men to see clearly;
anything but that. When Basil Carruthers had finished that dance he
longed to escape, lest he should be compelled to go through another.
Then came another moment of rapture for him, when, from the midst of a
crowd of courtiers, Lady Amelie summoned him to take her to her
carriage. Already they seemed like old friends. Basil drew the lace
shawl around the white shoulders and held her flowers.

"You have told me I may call," he said; "will you tell me when?"

"I am visible any time after two," said Lady Amelie. Not for any amount
of love or homage would she forego her comforts. Then it seemed to him
that the world stopped until two the next day. He went back to the
ballroom, but its beauty had all departed--there was no soul in the
music, no fragrance in the flowers.

"Colonel," he said, "I have had quite enough of the ball. Are you ready
for home?"

The colonel, who was quite satisfied with the result of the night's
work, declared that he also was ready, and they went.

"A very pleasant ball," remarked the diplomatist, as they drove home.

"Was it?" said Basil dreamily. "I did not notice much--the only part of
it I enjoyed was the conversation I had with Lady Lisle. Ah, colonel, if
the ladies of the present day resembled her, there would be some hope
for chivalry."

"God forbid," thought the colonel to himself. Aloud he replied: "Yes,
she is a very beautiful and most accomplished woman."

"She is more than that; she has a touch of genius and fire and poetry. I
have met no one like her."

"I can only hope," thought Colonel Mostyn, "he will not take the disease
too severely. I want a difference, but I do not care to have a case of
raving love and madness on my hands."

At breakfast time the next morning, Colonel Mostyn was pleased to see
that, for the first time, Basil eagerly opened the papers and spoke
anxiously of the evening engagements.

"Better rest at home, tonight," said the colonel; "you were out last
evening, and going out much tires you, I kno