th parties, and nodded across the room, and then
afterwards in the hall had a few words.

"To-morrow I am going down to Heronac, Michael," Henry said. "Where do
you intend to spend the festive season? Here, I suppose?"

"Yes, it is as good as anywhere," Michael returned. "I felt I could not
stand the whole thing at Arranstoun. I have been away from England so
long, I must get used to these old anniversaries again gradually. Here
one is free."

They looked into each other's faces and Henry noticed that Michael had
not quite got his old exuberant expression of the vivid joy of life--he
was paler and even a little haggard, if so splendid a creature could
look that!

"I suppose he has been going the pace over here," Henry thought, and
wondered why Michael's manner should be a little constrained. Then they
shook hands with their usual cordiality and said good-night. And Michael
prepared to go on to a supper party, with a feeling of wild rebellion in
his heart. The sight of his old friend and the knowledge that he was on
his way to join Sabine drove him almost mad again.

"I suppose they will be formally engaged in the New Year. I wonder how
my little girl is bearing it--if she is half as miserable as I am, God
comfort her," he cried to himself; and then he felt he could not stand
Miss Daisy Van der Horn, and getting into his motor he told the
chauffeur to drive into the Bois instead of to the supper.

Here among the dark trees he could think. It was all perfectly
impossible, and no happiness could possibly come to Henry either--unless
he succeeded in consoling Sabine when she should be his wife. And this
was perhaps the bitterest thought of all--that she should ever be
consoled as Henry's wife!

Then the extreme strangeness of Henry's still being in ignorance of his
and Sabine's relations struck him. She had evidently not yet had the
courage to tell the truth, and so the thing would come as a shock--and
what would happen then? Who could say? In any case, Henry could not
feel he had not come up to the scratch. Would Sabine ever tell Henry the
whole story? He felt sure she would not. But how could things be
expected to go on with the years? It was all unthinkable now that it had
come so close.

It was about five o'clock on the next afternoon that the Princess and
her party arrived at Heronac. Sabine was waiting for them in the great
hall, and greeted them with feverish delight, but Henry's worshipping
eyes took in at