ion. It seemed as if those musicians
had thrown a double sweetness into their notes on seeing the mistress of
the castle in the dance, that a perfumed southern atmosphere had begun
to pervade the marquee, and that human beings were shaking themselves
free of all inconvenient gravitation.

Somerset's feelings burst from his lips. 'This is the happiest moment I
have ever known,' he said. 'Do you know why?'

'I think I saw a flash of lightning through the opening of the tent,'
said Paula, with roguish abruptness.

He did not press for an answer. Within a few minutes a long growl of
thunder was heard. It was as if Jove could not refrain from
testifying his jealousy of Somerset for taking this covetable woman so
presumptuously in his arms.

The dance was over, and he had retired with Paula to the back of the
tent, when another faint flash of lightning was visible through an
opening. She lifted the canvas, and looked out, Somerset looking out
behind her. Another dance was begun, and being on this account left out
of notice, Somerset did not hasten to leave Paula's side.

'I think they begin to feel the heat,' she said.

'A little ventilation would do no harm.' He flung back the tent door
where he stood, and the light shone out upon the grass.

'I must go to the drawing-room soon,' she added. 'They will begin to
leave shortly.'

'It is not late. The thunder-cloud has made it seem dark--see there;
a line of pale yellow stretches along the horizon from west to north.
That's evening--not gone yet. Shall we go into the fresh air for a
minute?'

She seemed to signify assent, and he stepped off the tent-floor upon the
ground. She stepped off also.

The air out-of-doors had not cooled, and without definitely choosing a
direction they found themselves approaching a little wooden tea-house
that stood on the lawn a few yards off. Arrived here, they turned, and
regarded the tent they had just left, and listened to the strains that
came from within it.

'I feel more at ease now,' said Paula.

'So do I,' said Somerset.

'I mean,' she added in an undeceiving tone, 'because I saw Mrs. Goodman
enter the tent again just as we came out here; so I have no further
responsibility.'

'I meant something quite different. Try to guess what.'

She teasingly demurred, finally breaking the silence by saying, 'The
rain is come at last,' as great drops began to fall upon the ground with
a smack, like pellets of clay.

In a moment the