Suddenly there came to them sounds from out of the night. A door
opened, and through the hall there came the great, rumbling voice
of a man, half laughter, half shout; and then there were other
voices, the slamming of the door, and THE voice again, this time
in a roar that reached to the farthest walls of Adare House.

"Ho, Mignonne--Ma Josephine!"

And Philip held Josephine still closer and whispered:

"I love you!"





CHAPTER TEN


Not until the sound of approaching steps grew near did Josephine
make an effort to free herself from Philip's arms. Unresisting she
had given him her lips to kiss; for one rapturous moment he had
felt the pressure of her arms about his shoulders; in the blue
depths of her eyes he had caught the flash of wonderment and
disbelief, and then the deeper, tenderer glow of her surrender to
him. In this moment he forgot everything except that she had bared
her secret to him, and in baring it had given herself to him. Even
as her hands pressed now against his breast he kissed her lips
again, and his arms tightened about her.