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 her head on his breast for the infinitesimal fraction of a second. A quivering delight mounted from her heart and dimmed her eyes. But in a moment she was herself again.

"Mr. Valdeck!" she said, severely. "And I trusted you in coming here!"

The tone was perfect. "Just as if she hadn't been waiting for that all the evening," he thought, admiringly. "She's a genius." He kept silent, only looking at her with humble, dog-like eyes, as a hound reproved for showing too much exuberance of affection.

With a petulant movement she caught up her jacket, pouted, smiled, looked at him and then at it, and finally held it out with an inimitable gesture of amused reluctance.

"You'll have to help me into it, I suppose."

He sprang forward, took the outstretched garment and clasped it fondly.

"No, no, it isn't for you to keep," she laughed.

The operation of getting into the wrap was prolonged, and difficult, numerous hooks had to be attended to and sleeves smoothed, to all of which Philippa laughingly submitted, unconscious 159