proud."

He accepted the key awkwardly, not daring to
press it upon her, with the obvious banalities. But
he felt a sudden desire to give her something, and,
nothing better offering, he gathered half a dozen
roses and laid them on her lap.

"I was disappointed that you did not wear your
roses to-night," he said. "I associate them with you
in my thoughts. Will you put one in your hair?"

She found a place for two and thrust another in
the neck of her gown. The rest she held closely in
her hands. Then he noticed that she was very
white, and again she shivered.

"You are cold and tired," he murmured, his eyes
melting to hers. "It was entrancing, but I hope
never to see you give so much of yourself to others
again." His hand in arranging the reboso touched
hers. It lingered, and she stared up at him, help-
lessly, her eyes wide, her lips parted. She reminded
him of a rabbit caught in a trap, and he had a sud-
den and violent revulsion of feeling. He rose and
offered his arm. "I should be a brute if I kept you
talking out here. Slip off and go to bed. I shall
start the guests, for I am very tired myself."