shouting.

He ran into something and half apologised.

"Oh, don't mind me," a high-pitched voice shrieked excitedly.

He turned round and saw the flushed face of a girl of about nineteen
looking up at him. She was alone.

"I say," Gordon muttered nervously, "you look a bit lonely, come and
have some ginger beer."

"Orl right. I don't mind. Give us your arm!"

They rolled off to a neighbouring stall, where Gordon stood his Juliet
countless lemonades and chocolates. He felt very brave and grown-up, and
thought contemptuously of Davenport in bed dreaming some fatuous dream,
while he was engulfed in noise and colour. This was life. From the stall
the two wandered to the swing-boats, and towering high above the tawdry
glitter of the revel saw through the red mist the Abbey, austere and
still, the School House dormitories stretching silent with suspended
life, the class-rooms peopled with ghosts.

A plank jarred under the boat.

"Garn, surely it ain't time to stop yet," wailed Emmie.

He had gathered enough courage to ask her her name.

"Have another?" pleaded Gordon.

"No; let us try the lively thing over there. These boats do make me feel
so funny-like."

The merry-go-round was just stopping. There was a rush for the horses.
Gordon leapt on one, and leaning down caught Emmie up and sat her in
front of him; she lay back in his arms in a languor of satisfied
excitement. Her hair blew across his face, stifling him; on every side
couples were hugging and squeezing. The sensuous whirl of the machine
was acting as a narcotic, numbing thought. He caught her flushed, tired
face in his hands and kissed her wildly, beside himself with the
excitement of the moment.

"You don't mind, do you?" he murmured in a hoarse whisper.

"Don't be so silly; I have been waiting for that. Now we can get
comfy-like."

Her arms were round his neck, her flushed face was hot on his, her hair
hung over his shoulders. The strains of _You Made Me Love You_ came
inarticulate with passion out of the shrieking organ. Her elbow nudged
him. Her lips were as fire beneath his. The machine slowed down and
stopped. Gordon paid for five extra rounds. Dazed with new and hitherto
unrealised sensations, Gordon forgot everything but the strange warm
thing nestling in his arms; and he abandoned himself to the passion of
the moment.

At last their time was up. Closely, her hair on his shoulder, they moved
to the dancing circle, and plunged into the t