they did not return to the ball-room, but
passed around through an anteroom, coming out into a small, circular
apartment, dimly lighted and cosily furnished, opening upon one corner
of the ball-room.

"It strikes me," said Darrell, as he drew aside the silken hangings
dividing the two rooms and pushed a low divan before the open space,
"this will be fully as pleasant as the balcony and much safer."

"The very thing!" Kate exclaimed, sinking upon the divan with a sigh of
relief; "we will have a fine view of the dancers and yet be quite
secluded ourselves."

A minuet was already in progress on the floor, and for a few moments
Kate watched the stately, graceful dance, while Darrell, having adjusted
her wrap lightly about her, seated himself beside her and silently
watched her face with deep content.

Gradually the throbbing in her temples subsided, the nervous tremor
ceased, her color became natural, and she felt quite herself again. She
leaned back against the divan and looked with laughing eyes into
Darrell's face.

"Mr. Darrell, do you believe in hypnotism?" she suddenly inquired.

"In hypnotism? Yes; but not in many of those who claim to practise it.
Most of them are mere impostors. But why do you ask?" he continued,
drawing her head down upon his shoulder and looking playfully into her
eyes; "are you trying to hypnotize me?"

Kate laughed merrily and shook her head. "I'm afraid I wouldn't find you
a good subject," she said; then added, slowly, as her face grew serious:

"Do you know, I believe I was hypnotized to-night by that dreadful Mr.
Walcott. He certainly cast a malign spell of some kind over me from the
moment we went on the floor together till he left me."

"Why do you say that?" Darrell asked, quickly; "you know I did not see
you on the floor with him, for Miss Stockton asked me to go with her for
a promenade. We came back just as the waltz had ended and Mr. Walcott
was escorting you to your aunt. I noticed that you seemed greatly
fatigued and excused myself to Miss Stockton and came over at once. What
had happened?"

Kate related what had occurred. "I can't give you any idea of it," she
said, in conclusion; "it seemed unaccountable, but it was simply
dreadful. You know his eyes are nearly always closed in that peculiar
way of his, and really I don't think I had any idea how they looked; but
to-night as he looked at me they were wide open; and, do you know, I
can't describe them, but they looked