girl draw a quick, startled breath. Her eyes sped to that tiny,
blazing watch; when she lifted them he thought he surprised a gleam
of panic.

"How fast is an hour!" she said with an excited little laugh. "Time
is a--a very sudden thing!"

Sudden, indeed! How long since he had been a badly bored, impatient
young man, mocking the follies of the masquerade? How long since he
had danced with Jinny, flouting her notion of this sort of thing as
life? How long since he had looked into a pair of dark disquieting
eyes ... listened to a gay little voice....

Many important things in life happen suddenly. Juliet happened very
suddenly to Romeo. Romeo happened as suddenly to Juliet.

But Jack Ryder was not remembering anything about Romeo and Juliet.
He was watching that glance steal to the wrist watch again.

Then, as if with a determination of the spirit, they smiled up at
him.

"Monsieur the American," said the black domino, "you have been most
kind to an--an incognita--of a masque. I hope that you dig out of
your sands all the secrets that you most desire."

"You sound as if you were saying good-bye," said Jack Ryder with
quick denial in his blood.

The smile in her eyes flickered.