ilence came again, Hugh begged that the two would have their
Christmas Eve dinner with him, at his hotel. "There's so much to plan
for to-morrow, and all the days," he pleaded. "And just for once
Rosemary shall have a late dinner like the grown-ups. Do say yes."

So Evelyn said yes. And it was not until they were all three seated in
the restaurant of the Hotel de Paris, that he remembered he had been
engaged to dine at the Beau Soleil with Mademoiselle and the Comtesse,
her mother.

But he did not even blush because he had forgotten.

[Illustration: CHAPTER EIGHT]

WHEN A MAN GOES SHOPPING

[Illustration: W]

Many of Hugh Egerton's best moments during the last six years had been
spent in dreams. In those dreams the past had lived again; for he had
seen the future as once he had hoped it might be for him.

But all through this night of Christmas Eve he lay awake; and no dreams
had ever been as half as sweet as the thoughts that came to him then. It
would have been a hideous waste of time to sleep, when he could lie
there and live over again each moment of his evening, beginning at the
beginning, when She had come into the room, and going on to the end
when he had brought her and Rosemary to the door of the Hotel Pension
Beau Soleil, to say "goodbye until to-morrow." When he came to the end,
he went back to the beginning again with renewed zest, trying to call up
some word, some look of hers which he might have neglected to count
among his treasured jewels.

Then, when he was sure that he had each pearl and ruby and diamond duly
polished and strung on the fine gold chain of loving memory, he would
let his mind run ahead of time, to the next day.

What a Christmas it was going to be! There never had been one like it
before, in the history of the world; but--the best of it was--there was
reason to hope that there would be many others to come just as
exquisite, if not more perfect.

Evelyn Clifford had loved him, even when she had let him go. She loved
him now; and she had promised to make up for the long grey years of the
past by marrying him almost at once.

There was nothing to wait for. He was lonely and rich. She was lonely
and poor. Both were young, and starving for happiness. In a week they
would be married, for she had promised to begin the New Year as his
wife. Meanwhile, there would be a great deal to do (so she said, though
he could not see why) in getting ready. But Christmas was to be a
hol