d," quoth a heavy dragoon, who was also a heavy
jester, "that in heaven the last shall be first? If you pay court to an
angel you must submit to celestial customs."

"And bedad," rejoined the infantryman, "as there's no marryin' in heaven
ye've got to make the best of it with other men's wives. Sure it's a
great success that fellow should be in paradise. Did ye remark the way
she melted to him beauty swooning at the sight of temptation! Bad luck
to him! Who is he at all?"

They dispersed laughing and followed by O'Moy's scowling eyes. It
annoyed him that his wife's thoughtless conduct should render her the
butt of such jests as these, and perhaps a subject for lewd gossip. He
would speak to her about it later. Meanwhile the marshal had linked arms
with him.

"Since the privilege must be postponed," said he, "suppose that we seek
supper. I have always found that a man can best heal in his stomach
the wounds taken by his heart." His fleshy bulk afforded a certain
prima-facie confirmation of the dictum.

With a roll more suggestive of the quarter-deck than the saddle, the
great man bore off O'Moy in quest of material consolation. Yet as they
went the adjutant's eyes raked the ballroom in quest of his wife.
That quest, however, was unsuccessful, for his wife was already in the
garden.

"I want to talk to you most urgently, Ned. Take me somewhere where we
can be quite private," she had begged the captain. "Somewhere where
there is no danger of being overheard."

Her agitation, now uncontrolled, suggested to Tremayne that the matter
might be far more serious and urgent than Miss Armytage had represented
it. He thought first of the balcony where he had lately been. But then
the balcony opened immediately from the ante-room and was likely at
any moment to be invaded. So, since the night was soft and warm, he
preferred the garden. Her ladyship went to find a wrap, then arm in
arm they passed out, and were lost in the shadows of an avenue of
palm-trees.

"It is about Dick," she said breathlessly.

"I know--Miss Armytage told me."

"What did she tell you?"

"That you had a premonition that he might come to you for assistance."

"A premonition!" Her ladyship laughed nervously. "It is more than a
premonition, Ned. He has come."

The captain stopped in his stride, and stood quite still.

"Come?" he echoed. "Dick?"

"Sh!" she warned him, and sank her voice from very instinct. "He came to
me this evening, half an hou