re, looked flushed and impatient. A crash of thunder
shook the old house.

"Will you dance for me?" he said.

Joan stiffened--she was dealing with the strange personality, not the
man who was part of the happy past.

"No," she said, evenly. "And you have no right to be here. I wish you
would go at once."

"Out in this storm, you little pagan?"

"You could go downstairs and wait in the hall."

"You are afraid of me?"

"Not in the least."

"Afraid of yourself, then?"

"Certainly not. Why should I be afraid of myself?"

"Afraid _for_ yourself, then?"

Raymond was enjoying himself hugely.

"No, but I'm a bit afraid--for you!" Joan was watching the stranger
across the room, and she shivered as peal after peal of thunder tore the
brief lulls in the storm.

"Oh! that's all right--about me!" Raymond said, mistaking the trembling
that he saw; "you know, while I was at dinner to-day I got to thinking
what fools we were--not to--to take what fun there is in life--and not
count the costs like mean-spirited misers. You've got more dash and
courage than I have--you must have thought me, many a time, a---- What
did you think me, little girl?"

With the overpowering new knowledge that was possessing her Joan spoke
hesitatingly. It seemed pitifully futile and untruthful; but her own
thought was to get this stranger from her presence.

"I thought you--well, I thought about you just as I thought about
myself. Someone who was strong enough and splendid enough to make
something we both wanted come true! It was believing that we two
grown-up, lonely people could--play--without hurting--anything--or each
other. I see, now, just as I used to see when I was a little girl--that
one can never, never do that."

Tears dimmed Joan's eyes and she tried to smile.

The whole weird and unbelievable experience was making her distrust
herself, and the storm was more and more unnerving her. She feared she
could not hold out much longer.

"You're a--damned good little actress!" Raymond gave a hard, loud laugh
so unlike his own wholesome laugh that Joan started back.

"I want you to go away at once!" her eyes flashed. "I think you must be
mad."

"But--the storm." Raymond walked across the room.

"I do not care--about the storm. I want you to go!" and now Joan
retreated and unconsciously took her stand behind a chair.

A sudden, blinding flash, a deafening crash and--the lights went out!

In the terrifying blackness Joan felt Ra