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The solicitous note in her voice made Reggie quiver like a jelly。 He had never known her speak like that before。 For a moment he was inclined to lay bare his soul； but his nerve was broken。 He did not want her to mistake the outpouring of a strong man's heart for the irresponsible ravings of a too hearty diner。 It was one of Life's ironies。 Here he was for the first time all keyed up to go right ahead； and he couldn't do it。
〃It's the heat of the room；〃 said Alice。 〃Shall we go and sit outside on the terrace？ Never mind about the lemonade。 I'm not really thirsty。〃
Reggie followed her like a lamb。 The prospect of the cool night air was grateful。
〃That；〃 murmured George； as he watched them depart； 〃ought to hold you for a while！〃
He perceived Albert hastening towards him。
CHAPTER 13。
Albert was in a hurry。 He skimmed over the carpet like a water…beetle。
〃Quick！〃 he said。
He cast a glance at the maid； George's co…worker。 She was reading a novelette with her back turned。
〃Tell 'er you'll be back in five minutes；〃 said Albert； jerking a thumb。
〃Unnecessary。 She won't notice my absence。 Ever since she discovered that I had never met her cousin Frank in America； I have meant nothing in her life。〃
〃Then e on。〃
〃Where？〃
〃I'll show you。〃
That it was not the nearest and most direct route which they took to the trysting…place George became aware after he had followed his young guide through doors and up stairs and down stairs and had at last e to a halt in a room to which the sound of the music penetrated but faintly。 He recognized the room。 He had been in it before。 It was the same room where he and Billie Dore had listened to Keggs telling the story of Lord Leonard and his leap。 That window there； he remembered now； opened on to the very balcony from which the historic Leonard had done his spectacular dive。 That it should be the scene of this other secret meeting struck George as appropriate。 The coincidence appealed to him。
Albert vanished。 George took a deep breath。 Now that the moment had arrived for which he had waited so long he was aware of a return of that feeling of stage…fright which had e upon him when he heard Reggie Byng's voice。 This sort of thing； it must be remembered； was not in George's usual line。 His had been a quiet and uneventful life； and the only exciting thing which； in his recollection； had ever happened to him previous to the dramatic entry of Lady Maud into his taxi…cab that day in Piccadilly； had occurred at college nearly ten years before； when a festive room…mateno doubt with the best motiveshad placed a Mexican horned toad in his bed on the night of the Yale football game。
A light footstep sounded outside； and the room whirled round George in a manner which； if it had happened to Reggie Byng； would have caused that injudicious drinker to abandon the habits of a lifetime。 When the furniture had returned to its place and the rug had ceased to spin； Maud was standing before him。
Nothing is harder to remember than a once…seen face。 It had caused George a good deal of distress and inconvenience that； try as he might； he could not conjure up anything more than a vague vision of what the only girl in the world really looked like。 He had carried away with him from their meeting in the cab only a confused recollection of eyes that shone and a mouth that curved in a smile； and the brief moment in which he was able to refresh his memory； when he found her in the lane with Reggie Byng and the broken…down car； had not been enough to add definiteness。 The consequence was that Maud came upon him now with the stunning effect of beauty seen for the first time。 He gasped。 In that dazzling ball…dress； with the flush of dancing on her cheeks and the light of dancing in her eyes； she was so much more wonderful than any picture of her which memory had been able to produce for his inspection that it was as if he had never seen her before。
Even her brother； Percy； a stern critic where his nearest and dearest were concerned； had admitted on meeting her in the drawing…room before dinner that that particular dress suited Maud。 It was a shimmering dream…thing of rose…leaves and moon…beams。 That； at least； was how it struck George； a dressmaker would have found a longer and less romantic description for it。 But that does not matter。 Whoever wishes for a cold and technical catalogue of the stuffs which went to make up the picture that deprived George of speech may consult the files of the Belpher Intelligencer and Farmers' Guide； and read the report of the editor's wife； who 〃does〃 the dresses for the Intelligencer under the pen…name of 〃Birdie Bright…Eye〃。 As far as George was concerned； the thing was made of rose…leaves and moon…beams。
George； as I say； was deprived of speech。 That any girl could possibly look so beautiful was enough to paralyse his faculties； but that this ethereal being straight from Fairyland could have stooped to love himhiman earthy brute who wore sock…suspenders and drank coffee for breakfast 。 。 。 that was what robbed George of the power to articulate。 He could do nothing but look at her。
From the Hills of Fairyland soft music came。 Or； if we must be exact； Maud spoke。
〃I couldn't get away before！〃 Then she stopped short and darted to the door listening。 〃Was that somebody ing？ I had to cut a dance with Mr。 Plummer to get here； and I'm so afraid he may。 。 。〃
He had。 A moment later it was only too evident that this was precisely what Mr。 Plummer had done。 There was a footstep on the stairs； a heavy footstep this time； and from outside the voice of the pursuer made itself heard。
〃Oh； there you are； Lady Maud！ I was looking for you。 This is our dance。〃
George did not know who Mr。 Plummer was。 He did not want to know。 His only thought regarding Mr。 Plummer was a passionate realization of the superfluity of his existence。 It is the presence on the globe of these Plummers that delays the ing of the Millennium。
His stunned mind leaped into sudden activity。 He must not be found here； that was certain。 Waiters who ramble at large about a feudal castle and are discovered in conversation with the daughter of the house excite ment。 And； conversely； daughters of the house who talk in secluded rooms with waiters also find explanations necessary。 He must withdraw。 He must withdraw quickly。 And； as a gesture from Maud indicated； the withdrawal must be effected through the french window opening on the balcony。 Estimating the distance that separated him from the approaching Plummer at three stairsthe voice had e from belowand a landing； the space of time allotted to him by a hustling Fate for disappearing was some four seconds。 Inside two and half； the french window had opened and closed； and George was out under the stars； with the cool winds of the night playing on his heated forehead。
He had now time for meditation。 There are few situations which provide more scope for meditation than that of the man penned up on a small balcony a considerable distance from the ground； with his only avenue of retreat cut off behind him。 So George meditated。 First； he mused on Plummer。 He thought some hard thoughts about Plummer。 Then he brooded on the unkindness of a fortune which had granted him the opportunity of this meeting with Maud； only to snatch it away almost before it had begun。 He wondered how long the late Lord Leonard had been permitted to talk on that occasion before he； too； had had to retire through these same windows。 There was no doubt about one thing。 Lovers who chose that room for their interviews seemed to have very little luck。
It had not occurred to George at first that there could be any further disadvantage attached to his position other than the obvious drawbacks which had already e to his notice。 He was now to perceive that he had been mistaken。 A voice was speaking in the room he had left； a plainly audible voice； deep and throaty； and within a minute George had bee aware that he was to suffer the additional disfort of being obliged to listen to a fellow manone could call Plummer that by stretching the facts a littleproposing marriage。 The gruesomeness of the situation became intensified。 Of all moments when a manand justice pelled George to admit that Plummer was technically humanof all moments when a man may by all the laws of decency demand to be alone without an audience of his own sex； the chiefest is the moment when he is asking a girl to marry him。 George's was a sensitive nature； and he writhed at the thought of playing the eavesdropper at such a time。
He looked frantically about him for a means of escape。 Plummer had now reached the stage of saying at great length that he was not worthy of Maud。 He said it over and over； again in different ways。 George was in hearty agreement with him； but he did not want to hear it。 He wanted to get away。 But how？ Lord Leonard on a similar occasion had leaped。 Some might argue therefore on the principle that what man has done； man can do； that George should have imitated him。 But men differ。 There was a man attached to a circus who used to dive off the roof of Madison Square Garden on to a sloping board； strike it with his chest； turn a couple of somersaults； reach the ground； bow six times and go off to lunch。 That sort of thing is a gift。 Some of us have it； some have not。 George had not。 Painful as it was to hear Plummer floundering through his proposal of marriage； instinct told him that it would be far more painful to hurl himself out into mid…air on the sporting chance of having his downward progress arrested by the branches of the big tree that had upheld Lord Leonard。 No； there seemed nothing for it but to remain where he was。
Inside the room Plummer was now saying how much the marriage would please his mother。
〃Psst！〃
George looked about him。 It seemed to him that he had heard a voice。 He listened。 No。 Except for the barking of a distant dog； the faint wailing of a waltz； the rustle of a roosting bird； and the sound of Plummer saying that if her refusal was due to anything she might have heard about that breach…of…promise case of his a couple of years ago he would like to state that he was more sinned against than sinning and that the girl had absolutely misunderstood him； all was still。
〃Psst！ Hey； mister！〃
It was a voice。 It came from above。 Was it an angel's voice？ Not altogether。 It was Albert's。 The boy was leaning out of a window some six feet higher up the castle wall。 George； his eyes by now grown used to the darkness； perceived that the stripling gesticulated as one having some message to impart。 Then； glancing to one side； he saw what looked like some kind of a rope swayed against the wall。 He reached for it。 The thing was not a rope： it was a knotted sheet。
From above came Albert's hoarse whisper。
〃Look alive！〃
This was precisely what George wanted to do for at least another fifty years or so； and it seemed to him as he stood there in the starlight； gingerly fingering this flimsy linen thing； that if he were to suspend his hundred and eighty pounds of bone and sinew at the end of it over the black gulf outside the balcony he would look alive for about five seconds； and after that goodness only knew how he would look。 He knew all about knotted sheets。 He had read a hundred stories in which heroes； heroines； low edy friends and even villains did all sorts of reckless things with their assistance。 There was not much fort to be derived from that。 It was one thing to read about people doing silly things like that； quite another to do them yourself。 He gave Albert's sheet a tentative shake。 In all his experience he thought he had never e across anything so supremely unstable。 （One calls it Albert's sheet for the sake of convenience。 It was really Reggie Byng's sheet。 And when Reggie got to his room in the small hours of the morning and found the thing a mass of knots he jumped to the conclusion being a simple…hearted young manthat his bosom friend Jack Ferris； who had e up from London to see Lord Belpher through the trying experience of a ing…of…age party； had done it as a practical joke； and went and poured a jug of water over Jack's bed。 That is Life。 Just one long succession of misunderstandings and rash acts and what not。 Absolutely！）
Albe