sleeve, and flying outward, by a natural impetus that
must have sent her crashing against the woodwork of the door,--found
herself caught, and steadied by her husband's hands at her waist. For
a lightning instant he held her thus--breathless and throbbing, like a
bird prisoned in his grasp: then he straightened himself, and let fall
his empty hands.

"I am sorry," he muttered, barely looking at her. "But I was afraid
you might hurt yourself."

"Thank you. It was very stupid of me."

She left him hurriedly, red-hot vexation tingling in her cheeks: and
when next the Katherine-wheels spun about, she remained stationary,
smiling and waving her hand in answer to repeated invitations to "come
on."

Lenox remained stationary also, though the whole scene had suddenly
become hateful to him: for that moment of contact, and the rush of
colour to his wife's face, had roused him to the need for immediate
action. Thus, when a final mad galop scattered the coherent atoms of
the kaleidoscope, he intercepted Quita and her partner, as they hurried
out to secure a favourite nook.

But the polite formula of the ballroom did not spring readily to his
lips.

"Have you a spare dance to give me?" he asked bluntly. "Since you
evidently don't object to sitting out."

His tone had in it more of demand than of request, an effect heightened
by his deliberate omission of her name; and against his will annoyance
lurked in the last words. But some men have a positive talent for
standing in their own light.

For a second or two her eyes challenged his in mute amazement. Each
seemed trying to read the other's thought. But pride darkens insight:
and at the critical moment a slight movement of the arm she held
reminded her of Garth's glimpse behind the scenes. She pulled herself
together, and made an obvious feint of consulting her programme.

"If you really wanted one, you should have spoken earlier," she rebuked
him lightly. "I'm afraid I haven't so much as half an extra to offer
you now."

He accepted his dismissal with a curt bow of acknowledgment.

"Thought I wanted to make love to her, no doubt," he reflected
savagely, as he moved away. And she passed on into the verandah,
wondering . . . wondering why he had wanted that dance, and whether she
would have thrown some one over for him, but for Garth's opportune
reminder at her elbow.

On the opening of the next dance, Lenox sought and found Honor Desmond,
silently offered h