er
nurse announced that her bath was waiting.

* * * * *

The drive to Hitherwood House was a dream of loveliness; under the stars
the Bay of Shoals sparkled in the blue darkness set with the gemmed ruby
and sapphire and emerald of ships' lanterns glowing from unseen yachts
at anchor.

The great flash-light on Wonder Head broke out in brilliancy, faded,
died to a cinder, grew perceptible again, and again blazed blindingly in
its endless monotonous routine; far lights twinkled on the Sound, and
farther away still, at sea. Then the majestic velvety shadow of the
Hither Woods fell over them; and they passed in among the trees, the
lamps of the depot wagon shining golden in the forest gloom.

Selwyn turned instinctively to the young girl beside him. Her face was
in shadow, but she responded with the slightest movement toward him:

"This dusk is satisfying--like sleep--this wide, quiet shadow over the
world. Once--and not so very long ago--I thought it a pity that the sun
should ever set. . . . I wonder if I am growing old--because I feel the
least bit tired to-night. For the first time that I can remember a day
has been a little too long for me."

She evidently did not ascribe her slight sense of fatigue to the scene
on the veranda; perhaps she was too innocent to surmise that any
physical effect could follow that temporary stress of emotion. A quiet
sense of relief in relaxation from effort came over her as she leaned
back, conscious that there was happiness in rest and silence and the
soft envelopment of darkness.

"If it would only last," she murmured lazily.

"What, Eileen?"

"This heavenly darkness--and our drive, together. . . . You are quite
right not to talk to me; I won't, either. . . . Only I'll drone on and
on from time to time--so that you won't forget that I am here beside
you."

She lay so still for a while that at last Nina leaned forward to look at
her; then laughed.

"She's asleep," she said to Austin.

"No, I'm not," murmured the girl, unclosing her eyes; "Captain Selwyn
knows; don't you? . . . What is that sparkling--a fire-fly?"

But it was the first paper lantern glimmering through the Hitherwood
trees from the distant lawn.

"Oh, dear," sighed Eileen, sitting up with an effort, and looking
sleepily at Selwyn. "_J'ai sommeil--besoin--dormir_--"

But a few minutes later they were in the great hall of Hitherwood House,
opened from end to end to the soft s