easure always, and yet there might be one thing more--a little thing
Lisbeth--can you guess?" She did not speak, but I saw the dimple come
and go at the corner of her mouth, so I stooped and kissed her. For a
moment, all too brief, we stood thus, with the glory of the moonlight
about us; then I was hurrying across the lawn after Selwyn and the Imp.

"Ah, Mr. Selwyn!" I said as I overtook them, "so you have found him,
have you?" Mr. Selwyn turned to regard me, surprise writ large upon
him, from the points of his immaculate, patent-leather shoes, to the
parting of his no less immaculate hair.

"So very good of you," I continued; "you see he is such a difficult
object to recover when once he gets mislaid; really, I'm awfully
obliged." Mr. Selwyn's attitude was politely formal. He bowed.

"What is it to-night," he inquired, "pirates?"

"Hardly so bad as that," I returned; "to-night the air is full of the
clash of armour and the ring of steel; if you do not hear it that is
not our fault."

"An' the woods are full of caddish barons and caitiff knaves, you know,
aren't they, Uncle Dick?"

"Certainly," I nodded, "with lance and spear-point twinkling through
the gloom, but in the silver glory of the moon, Mr. Selwyn, walk errant
damozels and ladyes faire, and again, if you don't see them, the loss
is yours." As I spoke, away upon the terrace a grey shadow paused a
moment ere it was swallowed in the brilliance of the ball-room; seeing
which I did not mind the slightly superior smile that curved Mr.
Selwyn's very precise moustache; after all, my rhapsody had not been
altogether thrown away. As I ended, the opening bars of a waltz
floated out to us. Mr. Selwyn glanced back over his shoulder.

"Ah! I suppose you can find your way out?" he inquired.

"Oh, yes, thanks."

"Then if you will excuse me, I think I'll leave you to--ah--to do it;
the next dance is beginning, and--ah--"

"Certainly," I said, "of course--good-night, and much obliged--really!"
Mr. Selwyn bowed, and, turning away, left us to our own resources.

"I should have liked another ice, Uncle Dick," sighed the Imp,
regretfully.

"Knights never ate ice cream!" I said, as we set off along the nearest
path.

"Uncle Dick," said the Imp suddenly, "do you 'spose Mr. Selwyn wants to
put his arm round Auntie Lis--"

"Possibly!"

"An' do you 'spose that Auntie Lisbeth wants Mr. Selwyn to--"

"I don't know--of course not--er--kindly shut up, will you,