A Devotee

croit for

'il c

onta

he wondered at his own folly in coming. He thought he had 'got over it,' but to-night he found that he had made a sufficiently grave mistake in supposing so. Unimaginative persons never know when they have got over anything, because they have no fore-knowl

hing-that she was married to Mr. Loftus instead of to him. He turned to look fixedly at Mr. Loftus talking to Lady Pierpoint, and saw as in some new and arid light his thin stooping figure in the carved high-backed chair, the refined profile with the high thin nose and scant brushed-back gray hair, and the bloodless Vandyke hand holding his wine-glass. Mr. Loftus had a v

r the hot one, and poor Doll cursed himself, and told himself for the first time of many times-of how many t

turned up in sympathy too. But Peggy vaguely felt that on this occasion her dear 'mummy' was rather in the way, especially when the whole party assembled in the hall in their masks and dominoes, and Peggy could not sufficiently admire Doll's flame-coloured garment with a black devil outlined on t

x. I think I have never seen any domino as pretty as

dge of her mask that Miss Pierpoint's and Mrs. Loftus's duplicat

ull young man in dove colour. 'But how are we

' said Sibyl; 'that

*

in her married-woman voice, as the brougham in which she and Mr. Loftus had

fond of

st, I mean I

nce by al

what you wish. I thought p

laughing, perfectly aware that she

*

Loftus and Lady Pierpoint, the only unmasked ones of the party, towar

whole attention were turned to the

ed figures who came silently towards them. No introductions were possible. Lord Pontesbury almost em

spered. No one seemed able

in her wake. And Captain Charrington came forward at once, and said he was the eldest, and produce

e polished oak shone like the pale walls. Banks of orchids rose in the bay-windows. In the brilliant light a va

,' said a voice from the dept

p was the centre of another group, ruefully responding to he knew not whom, half the young m

sly at them and answered but little, for middle-aged ladies with daughters out have other things to think of besides repartee. Ca

the crowd. There was a momentary pause, a momentary uncertainty as to the sex of the h

eir mournful faces relaxed. The Bishop, who seldom saw anything more enlivening than a confirmation or a diocesan gathering, shed tears. The trombone collapsed, the wind instrum

*

ken to Sibyl that day, c

said plaintively. 'My domino w

watch the unmasking from there? It is a quarter

r not,' he said to himself. But he had thought of the possibility of that dance many

primrose domino all took the same rosy hue. In nearly every arch a couple were already sitting, watching the crowd below. Doll secured one of the few vacant places, and Sibyl drew her chair forward and leaned her slender bare arms on the white stone balustrade. T

e? So, as he could not ask her that, and tell her that he cared f

n's endless crimson domino had come open in front and displayed his high action to great advantage. A very elegant pink domino, which had been introduced by the eldest son of the house as an heiress to all the men who

rchway; 'that pink domino must be M

new me, and called me by name. I took him for--' He did not finish his sentence. 'By Jove! that black domi

is Lord Lutwyche. I have

ere. He sprained his an

peared to be a prey

n the room,' she said presently. 'And h

know that is

other side of it. Doll was not near enough. This was indeed d

he woman's voice eagerly. 'I

is hands behind his back, standing by the Bish

lways wished to see him.

that. Quite a charac

disgraceful thing, his marrying a pretty

d round. They saw her, but her primrose domino had taken

ght to know. I fancy there was more in that marriage than outsiders suspect. I've heard it said

sh, and a gong boomed out, engulfing all other sounds. It was twelve o'clock. A bell somewhere

back sick a

o her the natural result of the words she had just heard. If she had been crossed in love at Lisbon before

d the woman; 'the

rise and recognition, and a widesprea

d in the ballroom there was a vast turmoil, a

t, from watching without seeing it what was passing below. He took off his velvet mask as he spoke.

he outstretched hand still on the

aid. 'Sibyl! what i

focating, plucked with trembling hands at the

the mask, looked shrunk and pinched like a squirrel's in its thrown-back hood. The p

great as her own, taking her little clenched hand, and ho

her head i

e-shall I-fetc

s if she had

I will not see him-

ce. Involuntarily, his hand

*

'are, I believe, typical of English country life. They are-ahem!-the gallery seems conducive to conversation; it is, in fact, a-er-whispering-gallery.' Here he turned, smiling, to Mr. Loftus. 'Perhaps Mr. Doll has har

d at the eager manner in which the young man was bending towards the figure with her bac

d made such an impressi

been tidying in the cloak-room. Captain Charrington and some of the other men from Wilderleigh were waiting near the doorway,

yl?' said Mr. Loftu

replied Peggy promptly, 'with Mr. Doll, t

om below,' he said; 'half the men's faces were black,

rous valse such as tears the hearts

*

ating feverishly. 'Doll, you must

t he had forgotten it. Sibyl was engaged to

clinging convulsively to him. Her entire disregard of appearances filled him with apprehension. The cloak-room was empty, even of attendants, for it had been thro

ir, shivering. Her little Grecia

dy Pierpoint,' s

to go home. Oh, Doll, get the carriage,

llroom. Evidently she would make no attempt to conceal her des

the stables, found the Wilderleigh coachman, and

ftus,' said the coachman, hesitating, 'and the landau

oftus,' said Doll. 'Mrs. Loftus is

o find a maid standing by Sibyl with a glass of water. Sibyl was still shivering

lady is ill,' s

evident that

' said Doll. 'Can you

hite cloak. It annoyed Doll that the maid evidently lo

ated, and then compressed his lips, put his arm round her, and

's songs. Out into the solemn night came the urgent appeal of ''Enery 'Awkins' to his

ve, Sibyl seemed to revive,

him and catching his hand and wringing it. 'I

y, almost hating her for the pain

t arch, that-that Mr. Loftus married me out

whom Mr. Loftus had confided hi

vening to say: 'Why did you marry him? I would ha

ue, is it?'

et his

lie. He married you f