ess
herself came first, and her fingers were resting upon the arm of Prince
Maiyo. She stopped to speak to Penelope, and turned afterwards to
Somerfield. Prince Maiyo held out his hand for Penelope's programme.

"You will spare me some dances?" he pleaded. "I come late, but it is not
my fault."

She yielded the programme to him without a word.

"Those with an X,'" she said, "are free. One has to protect oneself."

He smiled as he wrote his own name, unrebuked, in four places.

"Our first dance, then, is number 10," he said. "It is the next but one.
I shall find you here, perhaps?"

"Here or amongst the chaperons," she answered, as they passed on.

"You admire Miss Morse?" the Duchess asked him.

"Greatly," the Prince answered. "She is natural, she has grace, and she
has what I do not find so much in this country--would you say charm?"

"It is an excellent word," the Duchess answered. "I am inclined to agree
with you. Her aunt, with whom she lives, is a confirmed invalid, so she
is a good deal with me. Her mother was my half-sister."

The Prince bowed.

"She will marry, I suppose?" he said.

"Naturally," the Duchess answered. "Sir Charles, poor fellow, is a
hopeless victim. I should not be surprised if she married him, some day
or other."

The Prince looked behind for a moment; then he stopped to admire a
magnificent orchid.

"It will be great good fortune for Sir Charles Somerfield," he said.

Somerfield scarcely waited until the little party were out of sight.

"Penelope," he exclaimed, "you've given that man four dances!"

"I am afraid," she answered, "that I should have given him eight if he
had asked for them."

He rose to his feet.

"Will you allow me to take you back to your aunt?" he asked.

"No!" she answered. "My aunt is quite happy without me, and I should
prefer to remain here."

He sat down, fuming.

"Penelope, what do you mean by it?" he demanded.

"And what do you mean by asking me what I mean by it?" she replied. "You
haven't any especial right that I know of."

"I wish to Heaven I had!" he answered with a noticeable break in his
voice.

There was a short silence. She turned away; she felt that she was
suddenly surrounded by a cloud of passion.

"Penelope," he pleaded,--

She stopped him.

"You must not say another word," she declared. "I mean it,--you must
not."

"I have waited for some time," he reminded her.

"All the more reason why you should wait until the rig