Ella, who had refused to eat
anything, was looking flushed and angry. She had tried to link her arm
in her companion's, but he had gently disengaged it. She kept whispering
in his ear, and sat with her eyes glued upon Mademoiselle Flossie, whose
glances and smiles were all for Macheson. And soon after the end came.
The band began a waltz--"L'Amoureuse"--it was apparently mademoiselle
herself who had commanded it. With the first bars, she sprang to her
feet and came floating down the room, her arms stretched out towards
Macheson. She leaned over the table, her body swaying towards him, her
gesture of invitation piquant, bewitching. Macheson, springing at once
to his feet, rested his hand for a moment upon the table which hemmed
him in, and vaulted lightly into the room. A chorus of laughter and
bravoes greeted his feat.

"But he is un homme galant, this Englishman," a Frenchwoman cried out,
delighted. Every one was watching the couple. But Ella rose to her feet
and called a waiter to move the table.

"I am going," she said angrily. "I have had enough of this. You people
can come when you like."

They tried to stop her, but it was useless. She swept down the room,
taking not the slightest notice of Macheson and his companion, a spot of
angry colour burning in her cheeks. Davenant and Mademoiselle Rosine
stood up, preparing to follow her. The former shouted to Macheson, who
brought his partner up to their table and poured her out a glass of
champagne.

"Ella's gone!" Davenant exclaimed. "You'll catch it!"

Macheson smiled.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "Are you off too?"

"As soon as the Johnny brings the bill," Davenant answered.

"I'll settle up," Macheson declared. "Take the automobile. I'll follow
you in a few minutes."

Mademoiselle Flossie, called back to her own table, hurried off with a
parting squeeze of Macheson's hand. He sat down alone for a moment. At
the other end of the room, a darkey with a doll's hat upon his head was
singing a coon song!

CHAPTER V

THE AWAKENING

Alone for the first moment of the evening, it seemed to Macheson that a
sudden wave of confounding thoughts surged into his brain, at war from
the first with all that was sensuous and brilliant in this new and
swiftly developed phase of his personality. He closed his eyes for a
moment, and when again he opened them it seemed indeed as though a
miracle had taken place. The whole atmosphere of the room was changed.
He loo