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Robbed of ust, I sauntered forward, finding Elsin Grey with Lady Coleville, seated together by the wall What they had been whispering there together I knew not, but I pushed through the attendant circle of beaus and gallants aiting there their turns, and presented s and ribbons, Carus," said Elsin Grey--"and no thanks to you for the pleasure, you who begged me for a dance or two; and I offered twenty, silly that I was to so invite affront!"

She was s when she spoke, but Lady Coleville's white teeth were in her fan's edge, and she looked at h disappoint like a silly boy," she said, "with those hoydens froe that dirown toat a ball,

"Fie! You are deceitful, too Elsin, be chary of your favors Dance with anytatches to- island!"

She say And presently she turned on Elsin with a grave shake of her head: "You disappoint me, both of you," she said "Elsin, I never dreamed that you----"

Their fans flew up, their heads dipped, then Elsin rose and asked indulgence, takingin Lady Coleville's hand

"Do you and Sir Peter talk over it together," she said, with a lingering wistfulness in her voice "I shall dance with Carus, whether he will or no, and then we'll walk and talk You may tell Sir Peter, if you so desire"

"All?" asked Lady Coleville, retaining Elsin's hand

"All, madam, for it concerns all"

Sir Henry Clinton came to wait on Lady Coleville, and so we left theh the brilliant sea of silks and laces, her ar close in mine, her fair head bent in silent meditation

Around us swelled the incessant tumult of the ball, music and the blended harmony of many voices, rustle and whisper of skirt and silk, and the swish! swish! of feet across the vast waxed floor

"Shall we dance?" I asked pleasantly

She looked up, then out across the ocean of glitter and restless color

"Now I am in two minds," she said--"to dance until there's no breath left and but a wisp of rags to cover aze at the heavens the while you court me----"