first night glittered on his hand; and, as then, the black ribbon of
his eyeglass showed across his shirt front. But more clearly than in
the dusk of the Venetian night she saw the long outline of his face,
the peculiar artificial pallor of his skin, the cold vigilance of his
eyes. And in that moment of entry a faint, indescribable hesitancy
chilled her resolution. Involuntarily she halted on the threshold of
the room.

But Deerehurst gave no time for her indecision to mature. As the door
closed upon the servant, he came quickly forward and took the hand she
mechanically offered him.

For one moment he held her fingers closely; then he lifted them and,
before she could anticipate the action, pressed them to his lips.

That a man should kiss a woman's hand by way of greeting is not
necessarily a significant thing. It may be a slightly ostentatious
act--but it may be nothing more. Uncertain how to construe the
movement, Clodagh gave a faint laugh and withdrew her fingers.

"Were you very much surprised to get my wire?"

She moved away from him into the middle of the room. Now that she put
it to the test, the interview seemed infinitely more difficult than
when contemplated from a distance. She felt nervous and ill at ease.

Watching her with his close, attentive look, Deerehurst drew forward a
chair.

"Sit down, little lady!" he said in his thin, impassive voice.

Reassured by the formality of the action, she took the proffered seat.

"Now take off your gloves. We shall feel more at home."

Again she gave a little laugh.

"My gloves! But I must go in five minutes."

"In five minutes? When the night is so young?" He drew forward another
chair, and sat down beside her.

"Do you know how glad and proud I feel?"

She looked up quickly. His tone had subtly changed.

"Lord Deerehurst," she said, "I must explain that the reason I
came--the reason I came, instead of sending for you or writing----"

Deerehurst leant forward and laid his cold hands over hers.

"Let me take these off! It feels so very formal and unlike ourselves."

He began softly to open the buttons of her glove and draw it deftly
from her hand.

"But you haven't listened to what I said," she objected. "I want to
explain at once, so that you can understand at once----"

Before answering, he drew off the second glove and laid the two upon
the table.

"Why should you explain? Have I ever been lacking in imagination?"

"No--oh no; I did no