The Lamp of Fate

e elect had been bidden was over, and now those who had been invited to the less exc

han those of her godmother and the Duchess of Lichbrooke-the former's half sister. So, in this respect, Lady Arabella enjoyed almost a monopoly, and such occasions as the present were enthusiastically sought after by her friends and acquaintances. Later, when the artistes had concluded their p

such strange chance and who had so deliberately gone out of it again. By the very manner of his going he had succeeded in imp

amentally. She was the "type of woman he hated!" Night and day that curt lit

that, his departure from England had left her conscious of an insistent and unaccountable little ache. The knowledge that there could be no more chance meetings,

turning for approval to Gillian, who was in attendance in her capa

ou expect her to look anything else by the time you

man seriously. "Mademoiselle cannot help but be beaut

as," assented G

eside her rang imperatively and she lifted the receiver. Magda,

. . He's ill

t it. Two hours ago they had le

r the doctor. It's croup. Oh!"-despairingly, and letting the receiv

o dance floating cloudily about her as she moved. She picked up the receiv

f course. As quickly as the car can take you. Virginie"-

ked at her

't go! I can't leave you!" Her voice

comforting arm r

's your coat"-lifting it up from the back of the

illian allowed herself to be helped into

our dance, Magda?

hook he

gly. "Don't worry, Gillyflower. You've forgo

can't ask him to play for you! You'd hate asking him a

d at her re

her voice which few people ever heard. "My dear, I'm not going

iserable face just as Virginie reappeared in th

k, would you like to t

quite all right. Oh, Magda!"-impulsively drawing the sle

hed a trif

, Gillyflower. Remember they've got a doctor there. And 'phone me presently about Coppertop

flung a loose wrap over her diaphan

sieur Davilof

hrough the doorway as I came from or

lo

d eloquently. "He smokes a cigarett

he hall by way of an unfrequented passage and sli

toi

vilof, who had been standing

tly. "You!" And then remai

she said chidingly. "Why are you so star

sed leaving the house the

aughed

e, Antoine?" sh

is hands, hanging at his

few steps towar

quietly. "Will you p

d at her

repeated. "But yo

accompany me

" His voice held

ill you

u the last time we met? That I

she must ask it, nevertheless. For Gillian's sake; for the sake of poor little Coppertop fighting for breath and with no "mummie" at hand to help and comfort him; and for the sake of Lady Arabella, to

n response to Davilof'

mber," she s

l ask me to p

ll ask

of la

supposing I reply b

won't," d

g of cruelty in their hazel

ntrary-I d

. It was going to be more diff

who can play for me as

Because no one lo

e little thing I ask?" she retorted. "It is not often that I as

l that, in view of all that had passed between them in the Mirror Room, it must have bee

lung him that contemptuous command: "I shall want you to-morrow, Davilof!-same time." He had unveiled his very soul before her-and in return she

uld have asked what you liked of me. But you showed me once-very clearly-that in your eyes I was

y y

money"-with

ou mean?" Her face h

r on there is a dance. G

upsettingly vehement order of his passion for her that day in the Mirror Room had frightened her not a little. There was something stormy and

to the flame. And if she promised to dance with Davilof she must let him hold her in his arms, risk that dangerous proximity which,

on her self-communings. "Ha

ide, and decide quickly. She

uickly. "I will danc

bow

e said ironically. "I shall be cha

well-dressed crowd which had sat in enthralled silence while the Wie

f the dancing floor. In the twinkling of an eye, as it were, they transformed what had been to all intents and purposes a concert-hall into a flower-decked ballroom, whi

elusive, from which her flower-pale face and shoulders emerged like a water-lily starring the dark pool on which it floats. A crimson rose

. A 'phone message from Friars' Holm had come through saying that Coppertop was better. All danger was passed and th

threw a quick, nervous glance in the direction of the motionless figure, thinking it might be Davilof himself. It would be like his eager impatience to await her

at Quarrington was to be at her godmother's reception. The sudden, totally unexpected meeting with him-with this man who had contrived to dominate her thoughts so inex

on of utter helplessness to save herself; then Michael's arms c

oment. She lay against his breast like a te

murmured soothingly

is cheek as she fell; the pale, exquisite face and warm white throat lay close beneath his lips-all

rd, squaring his shoulders, and released her, thoug

ght," he said reassuri

words helped to

ill. "I-I don't know how I came to fall like that. I

o be," he returned

nough for her that he was there-that he had not gone away! She was

be standing just at the foot of the s

alice prepense"-the familiar crooked

ing f

the supper-room and see that you had a glass of ch

adquarters?"-sm

act

ether. As they passed through the crowded r

got it badly,

nced after the pai

is he? I head young Raynha

mean she's

ther

y before yesterday,"

s a hotheaded youngster. Just the so

y supper-room and was seeing to it that Lady Arabella's commands were obe

. "After dancing. Besides, unlike

But naturally, you can't consume a solid

after a pause. "You must receive a surfeit of them. But"-looking at her with tho

ou?" she aske

lau

to temptation than to resist," he answ

shed a

mptation?" she a

nt, then answered

ion of seein

ar too much for that to be the case! Saint Mic

other, you see. Perhaps my idea

me t

ed her re

and despoiler. Wherever she comes, the place should be the happier for her coming-not bereft by it. She should be the helper and

t like that? I'm the

with her bent head, fingering the

dancing?" she

know

mixture of defiance and appeal

ok his

so great that she forgot everything except the

ing," she retorted with a flash of dry humo

it as you do. Even the love you've no use for is the biggest thing the poor devil who l

the stern accusation that underlay the

aid, "I think I'

h to quit the supper-room, but, either by

g her face intently, "me

eve I'm not c

rawing aside to let her pass, "

o unevenly and, afraid to trust herself to speak, she moved forward without response in the direction of the door.

from a little group of men with whom he ha

inning," he said. "Are you

engaged," s

though the evening had drained her of her strength and left her unequal to

ad asked her to dance with him instead! But he had bowed and left her as soon a

watching h

, "that you're afrai

answered him wit

lieve

promise? You did p

hey had telephoned down for his mother to go to him. And you woul

d a curiously conc

Mrs. Grey could go to he

clined h

she sai

ed asking me

she sai

. Extraordinarily kind," he commented slowly. His expression was one o

she queri

woman-always ready to sacrific

though she were listening to an

he sake of Mrs. Grey and little Coppertop. Mademoiselle"-he bowed gravely-"I kiss your hands.

n the circumstances, renounce the dance she had promised him. It argued a fineness of perception and a gener

nce." Then, as he still hesitated: "I should like to dance w

diant-like a child that has been pa

ng quickly, as he detected a flicker of apprehension in Magda's eyes: "But you nee

ce, but there was a restraint, a punctilious deference about him that, even while

uick recognition of the musician's sense of fair play in renouncing his dance with her when he knew the circumstances which had impelled her to promise it-these two things had sufficed to

disinclined to dance again, and, always chary of her favours in this respect, she remained watching the dancing in preference to taking any part in it,

proval-annoyance because she had expected him to ask her for a dance quite early in the course of the programme and he had failed to do so, and approv

request a dance at this late hour, however

gaily. "I am just going home. It's

ed courteously. "May

rs with a small gracious nod, laid her slim hand on his sleeve. As they moved a

on paused

he said. "Danc

. It was as though the words were dra

ark ones with their slumbrous fire brooding beneath

answered a trif

with significances half-hidden, half-understood, and she found herself quivering with a strange uncertainty and nervousn

ike in the faint light of Chinese lanterns swung from the leaf-clad roof. From somewhere near at hand came the silvery, showering

he world behind them and were quite alone, enfolded in

oximity and of some rapidly rising tide of emotion mounting within him. She knew the barrier against whi

Can't you-can't y

ment she was crushed against his breast, his mouth on he

else had discovered the Eden of the winter

e sky as Magda drove home. In the wan light her face looked unusually pa

and she had felt herself stirred to a sudden pas

last, unpremeditated dance, those tense, vibrant moments in the winter-garden, then the jarring

possible. Their solitude had been ruthlessly destroyed; the outside world had thrust itself upo

phrase had fallen awkwardly from Magda's lips

possible that he believed in her now-trusted her? It had been in answer to that low, implo

grew wistful-wonderingly questioning the future. Was she, too, only waiting for the revelation of dawn-the da

pulled up at Friars' Holm. She looked rather white and there w

w is he?" aske

e's safe now! But-oh, M

with a dogged courage and determination that had won the grav

ntil at last her sobs ceased an

I've quite recovered now-really. Come and tell me about everything. Did Davilof play for you all right? And did you enjoy the dance afte

e propped against the clock and slit open the flap. It was probably only some note of urgent invitation

, a note of apprehensio

dumbly. Then she h

flatly. "It's from K

along the two brie

Do you know where he