o show you the
garden." He rose, but Kenna rose too.

"My dear fellow," he expostulated gently, "don't you realize there is a
south-easter blowing? We can't subject Lady Di to the curse of the
Cape tonight. It always affects new-comers most disagreeably. In
fact, I think she is suffering from it already."

"Is that what is making me prickle all over and feel as though I want
to commit murder?" she inquired, with rather a tremulous smile. "What
is this new African horror?"

"Only our Cape 'mistral.'" Sarle looked at her anxiously. "It's
blowing a bit hard in the trees outside, but----"

"I thought that was the sea. If it's only the wind I don't mind." She
rose, half hesitating. "I love wind."

"I think it would be very unwise of you to go," said Kenna quietly.
Sarle thought him infernally interfering, though he heard nothing in
the words but friendly counsel. To April the remark contained a
threat, and she gave way with as good a grace as she might, holding out
her hand to say good-night to them.

"Perhaps I had better postpone acquaintance with your curse as long as
possible." The words were for Kenna, her smile for Sarle.

"I will see you to the lift," the latter said. Kenna could hardly
offer to come too, but as it was only just across the lounge to the
hall, and within range of his eye, perhaps he thought it did not
matter. He could not know that Sarle, sauntering with a careless air
beside her, was saying very softly and only for her ear:

"It is quite early. If instead of taking the lift again you came down
the main staircase, you would find a door almost opposite, leading into
the garden. I think you promised?"

His voice was very pleading. She did not answer, nor even turn his
way. But once safely in the lift, out of the range of Kenna's gimlet
eyes, over the shoulders of the stunted brown lift-boy she let her
glance rest in his, and so told him that he would have his wish.

There must have been some witchery in that south-east wind. She knew
it was madness to go, that she was only entangling herself more closely
in a mesh which could not be unravelled for many days. Yet within half
an hour she was out there in the darkness, with the wind tearing at her
hair and flickering her cloak about her like a silken sail. When she
closed the door behind her and went forward it was like plunging into
an unknown purple pool, full of dark objects swaying and swimming
beside her in the fleeting