kly to
where she stood that she was in his arms again, and this time without
the faintest chance of getting out of them until he should choose to
free her.

It was no use to struggle now, and she was still, like some wild bird.
But she knew that she was really his, and was glad of it. And she
looked up at him and said, very softly, "Geoffrey, we are wasting
time."

"Oh, no, not at all," said Geoffrey.

"But we are."

"Say that you love me."

"But haven't I--ah, Geoffrey, please don't begin again."

"Say that you love me."

She did.

Then, taking his hand, she led him to the door she had opened. He
stared at the crocodile, at the wine-cups, and then he picked up a
sheet of iron and a metal torch.

"I suppose it is their museum," he said; "don't you?"

"Their museum! Geoffrey, think a little."

"They seem to keep very good wine," he remarked, after smelling at the
demijohn.

"Don't you see? Can't you understand?" she said.

"No, not a bit. What's that thing, do you suppose?" he added, giving
the crocodile a kick.

"Oh, me, but men are simple, men are simple!" said Elaine, in despair.
"Geoffrey, listen! That wine is my father's wine, from his own cellar.
There is none like it in all England."

"Then I don't see why he gave it to a parcel of monks," replied the
young man.

Elaine clasped her hands in hopelessness, gave him a kiss, and became
mistress of the situation.

"Now, Geoffrey," she said, "I will tell you what you and I have really
found out." Then she quickly recalled all the recent events. How her
father's cellar had been broken into; how Mistletoe had been chained
to a rock for a week and no dragon had come near her. She bade him
remember how just now Father Anselm had opposed every plan for meeting
the Dragon, and at last she pointed to the crocodile.

"Ha!" said Geoffrey, after thinking for a space. "Then you mean----"

"Of course I do," she interrupted. "The Dragon of Wantley is now
down-stairs with papa eating dinner, and pretending he never drinks
anything stronger than water. What do you say to that, sir?"

"This is a foul thing!" cried the knight. "Here have I been damnably
duped. Here----" but speech deserted him. He glared at the crocodile
with a bursting countenance, then drove his toe against it with such
vigour that it sailed like a foot-ball to the farther end of the hall.

"Papa has been duped, and everybody," said Elaine. "Papa's French
wine----"

"They swore to me in