e deep sense of
comradeship. He restrained his desire to stroke the creature's nose.
It appeared that they now all wished to taste his neck; but some were
timid, and the touch of their tongues simply a tickle, so that he was
compelled to laugh, and at that peculiar sound they withdrew and gazed
at him. There seemed to be no one with them; then, at a little distance,
quite motionless in the shade of a rock, he spied the goatherd, a boy
about his own age. How lonely he must be up here all day! Perhaps he
talked to his goats. He looked as if he might. One would get to have
queer thoughts up here, get to know the rocks, and clouds, and beasts,
and what they all meant. The goatherd uttered a peculiar whistle,
and something, Lennan could not tell exactly what, happened among the
goats--a sort of "Here, Sir!" seemed to come from them. And then the
goatherd moved out from the shade and went over to the edge of the
plateau, and two of the goats that were feeding there thrust their noses
into his hand, and rubbed themselves against his legs. The three looked
beautiful standing there together on the edge against the sky....

That night, after dinner, the dining-room was cleared for dancing, so
that the guests might feel freedom and gaiety in the air. And, indeed,
presently, a couple began sawing up and down over the polished boards,
in the apologetic manner peculiar to hotel guests. Then three pairs of
Italians suddenly launched themselves into space--twirling and twirling,
and glaring into each other's eyes; and some Americans, stimulated by
their precept, began airily backing and filling. Two of the 'English
Grundys' with carefully amused faces next moved out. To Lennan it seemed
that they all danced very well, better than he could. Did he dare ask
HER? Then he saw the young violinist go up, saw her rise and take his
arm and vanish into the dancing-room; and leaning his forehead against
a window-pane, with a sick, beaten feeling, he stayed, looking out into
the moonlight, seeing nothing. He heard his name spoken; his tutor was
standing beside him.

"You and I, Lennan, must console each other. Dancing's for the young,
eh?"

Fortunately it was the boy's instinct and his training not to show his
feelings; to be pleasant, though suffering.

"Yes, sir. Jolly moonlight, isn't it, out there?"

"Ah! very jolly; yes. When I was your age I twirled the light fantastic
with the best. But gradually, Lennan, one came to see it could not