Innocent : her fancy and his fact

Jocelyn led his partne

al garden for London-and I know every inch of it.

excitement of the dance, and he paused on his way to pick up a ligh

ot a cold night-in fact it's very close and sultry-a

se. But he waited, playing with the fire of his own inclinations, and talking lightly and charmingly of things which he knew would interest her sufficiently to make her, in her turn, talk to him naturally and candidly, thereby displaying more or less of her disposition and temperament. With every word she spoke he found her more and more fascinating-she had a quaint directness of speech which was extremely refreshing after the half-veiled subtleties conveyed in the often dubious conversati

eur Amadis!" he said. "He was your te

He was a spirit," she

and, taking her hand, he drew it within his arm-"I

again, a tri

ou do come in! You a

-like fascination about her child-like face and figure as she moved glidingly beside him-a "belle dame sans merci" charm which roused the strongly amorous side of his nature. He quickened his steps a little as he led her down

a little while?" he

the sixteenth-century "Amadis" had become embodied in this modern man of brilliant but erratic genius, who, if the truth were told, had nothing idealistic about him but his art, which in itself was more the outcome of emotionalism than conviction. He drew her gently down beside him, feeling her quiver like a leaf touched by the wind, and his own heart began to beat with a pleasurable thrill. The silence around them seemed waiting for speech, but non

whispered-"I co

pulsed him, and gazed at him with startled, tender eyes in which a new and wonderfu

hould you be? Why should not love come to you as to other women! Do

hat she in her poor credulousness welcomed as the crown and glory of existence-love! Love was hers, she thought-at last!-she knew the great secret,-the long delight that death itself could not destroy,-her ideal of romance was realised, and Amadis de Jocelyn, the brave, the true, the chiva

ng her dewy eyes to his in the darkness. "Is it good when God grants o

delity to the romance w

aid. "You mustn't run away with that idea and make me a kind

of old," she answered, proud

assed by her

en that! You think I am-but you do not know. You are a clever,

hed his shyly

lways stop your mouth if you put

y?" he aske

In tha

a 'but' to everyth

together li

eigh all this wh

suddenly to convent

I am! But I did not leave her,-she left me when th

lded his arms closely round the dainty, elf-like figure

ent fire of a new passion, her cheeks grew hot and she was tha

he said-"You must not

ak of it?" she a

nd taking her hand began to walk

in your career, nor for me in mine. You are famous,-your name is being talk

ord "lovers," and her

all know,"

iss Leigh,"

mean 'no one,'" she answered,

nted his little "amour" to go on without suspicion or interference, and he felt

then?" he said, playful

up at him

she asked. "I think not! Will

a man who thought chiefly of himself and his own

tend not to know! Is it not the same as y

pressed hard the l

o on! I must not

and sweet and angelically tender, that for a sec

n which she rode so lightly and securely, would be an excitement and amusement which he was not inclined to forgo-a triumph worth attaining. But love such as she imagined love to be, was not in his nature-he conceived of it merely as a powerful physical attraction which exerted its influence between two persons of opposite sexes and lasted for a certain time-then waned and wore off-and he recognised marriage as a legal device to safeguard a woman when the inevitable indifference and coldness of her mate set in, making him no longer a lover, but a household companion of habit and circumstance, lawfully bound to pay for the education of children and the necessary expenses of living. In his inmost consciousness he knew very well that Innocent was not of the ordinary feminine mould-she had visions of the hig

ditional thought-"in the only way a w

nger, till the convincing music of the band and the brilliant

ce in," he said. "No one will have missed us long.

a little time!"

g the ball-room and swinging round in a blaze of colour and beauty to the somewhat hackneyed strains of the "Fruhlings Reigen." And as they floated and flew, the deli

was weary,-then, between two "extras," she went in search of Miss Leigh, whom she foun

ed, running up to her. "I had f

ia smiled

self. I am old, and hardly fit for these late assemblies-and how very

ning to her partner, a young scion of the aristocracy

ingly, and glanc

ck," he said. "In fact

n Jocely

"Well, perhaps it's time! Ma

ta of rooms, Jocelyn leading the way. They soon ran the gauntlet of the ladies' cloak-room and the waiting mob of footmen and chauffeurs that lined the long pass

the vehicle and smiling at them through the open window-

a thrill of joy in her voice like the note o

looked unusually handsome,-she st

ht, 'Sieu

own and k

d-ni

ent, and they were off. Innocent sa

hild!-you must be

s one of pleasure. It has been a

glad you were made so much of, my dear! That was as it ought to

denly. "Lord Blythe

er years and years ago before she was married-nobody ever knew exactly what it was, and her people hushed it up. I daresay it wasn't

mechanically-"I had a few mi

s Leigh. "She used to be quite bea

nt. The motor-bro

her," observed the old lady, presently. "He is a ve

y the interior of the brougham was

"Surely with his great art, he wou

erstanding or sympathy with the world of other people! Even Pierce Armitage-who was very dear to me-ran away with impressions like a child with toys. He would adore a person one day-and hate him

d,-"A glorious poet!-but he must

therly clasp-"You are a genius yourself-but you are a human little creature, not above the swee

Innocent, quickly-

im,-which is quite natural considering the long association you have had with his

laughed

she said-"I don't expect anything of him, so

nd pausing one moment in the drawing-room, where the lights had been left burning for their ret

oved him and knew I did! There was the difference between us! He tired of me-all artists tire of the one face-they want dozens!-and he lost his head over some woman whose name I never knew. The result must have been fatal to his career, for it stopp

voice,-Innocent, touched to

e asked-"Has something reminded you of-of HIM?" A

me-very much-of him! Good-night, dear little child! Keep your

and they went upstairs toge

ust not be assailed. And now-now, Amadis de Jocelyn was her lover!-yet no one must know, because he did not wish it. For some cause or other which she could not determine, he insisted on secrecy. So she was meshed in nets of others' weaving, and could not take a step to disentangle herself and stand clear. Of her own accord she would have been frank and open as the daylight,-but from the first, a forward fate appeared to have taken delight in surrounding her with deceptions enforced by the sins of others. Her face burned as she thought of Jocelyn's passionate kisses-she

ope!" she mused-"Oh, it would be

dared to caress her with the wild an

,-and "My love!" were the last words she murmured as she nestled into her little bed, her fair head on its white pillow looking like the head of one of Botticelli's angels. Her own success,-her cele