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208 then he said hoarsely in her ear, "You are fooling me and playing with me. You won't listen to what I have to say. And yet you have as good as promised to be mine."

Elsie's hour had come. She let him lead her into the garden. They went to the little summer-house to which he had taken her before. All the way he poured out words of ardent devotion.

Frank Hallett watched her go out with Astar. He watched for her return. It seemed to him as though some horrible fate were keeping him from her. He could hardly prevent himself from going up to her when she was dancing with the Prince, and when she was on Lord Astar's arm. There was something about Elsie to-night which filled him with uneasiness. He was certain that she was very unhappy. He had watched her face while she was talking to Blake, and told himself that it was Blake she loved. Why was she flirting with Lord Astar? What was the meaning of that glittering star? He was standing moodily against a background of palms at the entrance to the ball-room, when he heard his own name spoken, and in Elsie's voice,—

"Frank!"

He hardly knew the voice, it was so thin and so frightened. He turned. She was standing there alone; he could not see Lord Astar. She was deadly pale except for a bright red spot on each cheek, and her eyes were like flames. "Frank," she said, still with that strange quietude, "will you take me away somewhere—somewhere where nobody can see me?"

"Elsie," he exclaimed, "what is the matter? Come with me, my dear. I will take care of you."

He gave her his arm. As she clung to it he felt a tremor all through her body.

"Not there," she cried, fancying he was going to turn into the ball-room. "Take me home. Oh, Frank, take me home."

"Your mother is there," he said. "She was asking for