ce, and buried her face on his shoulder,
straining her body to his, twining her slim foot and leg round his ankle.
In a moment she was up again, however, and glanced at the clock. "Peter,
we must dress early and dine early, mustn't we? The thing begins at
seven-forty-five. Now I know what we'll do. First, give me a drink,
a long one, Solomon, and take one yourself. Thanks. That'll do. Here's
the best.... Oh, that's good, Peter. Can't you feel it running through
you and electrifying you? Now, come"--she seized him by the arm--"come
on! I'll tell you what you've got to do."

Smiling, though a little astonished at this outburst, Peter allowed
himself to be pulled into the bedroom. She sat down on the bed and pushed
out a foot. "Take it off, you darling, while I take down my hair," she
said.

He knelt and undid the laces and took off the brown shoes one by one,
feeling her little foot through the silk as he did so. Then he looked up.
She had pulled out a comb or two, and her hair was hanging down. With
swift fingers she finished her work, and was waiting for him. He caught
her in his arms, and she buried her face again. "Oh, Peter, love me, love
me! Undress me, will you? I want you to. Play with me, own me, Peter.
See, I am yours, yours, Peter, all yours. Am I worth having, Peter? Do
you want more than me?" And she flung herself back on the bed in her
disorder, the little ribbons heaving at her breast, her eyes afire, her
cheeks aflame.

"Well," said Peter, an hour or two later, "we've got to get this dinner
through as quickly as we've ever eaten anything. You'll have to digest
like one of your South African ostriches. I say," he said to the waitress
in a confidential tone and with a smile, "do you think you can get us
stuff in ten minutes all told? We're late as it is, and we'll miss half
the theatre else."

"It depends what you order," said the girl, rather sharply. Then, after a
glance at them both: "See, if you'll have what I say, I'll get you
through quick. I know what's on easiest. Do you mind?"

"The very thing," said Peter; "and send the wine-man over on your way,
will you? How will that do?" he added to Julie.

"I'll risk everything to-night, Peter, except your smiling at the
waitress," she said. "But I must have that champagne. There's something
about champagne that inspires confidence. When a man gives you the gold
bottle you know that he is really serious, or as serious as he can be,
which isn't saying mu