The Ghost Gavotte.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 14003, 11 September 1909, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Ghost Gavotte.

(By K. L. White.)

"Yes, doctor, fifteen proposals, anil me not turned twenty! My! ou should have seen' the- depot tw) * left Chicago: Forty men fighting around our saloon to get- a last spy at nie! And —I'd refused every one oi them I" .' . , . , Virginia L. Pine sighed plaintively as she uttered her last words. Her inventions had not been artistic that afternoon. In her anxiety to strengthen her claims to distinction she had reeklcsslv weakened her arithmetic. But Adam Aubriofs thin lips never relaxed to a suiile as he looked at her. prettj face and listened to her ingenuous lies. To the brain specialist she represented the interest of a "case." A frown, however, gathered on his brow as, from his porch in the .musicians' gallery, he pa zed down at the scone in the'hall below. The vaulted roof echoed with wild merriment, and the . Torquil portraits, dim and dark with age, seemed to be clearing the dust from their eyes; as they, too. looked. down on the revels. The" honsepartv, which was composed largely -if "fla'ppers," was amusing itself by strenuous efforts to catch a small greased pig- The rain, which dashed against the great oriel window, was the cause of this ingenious device to escape- boredom. In Aubriot's eyes it was the fitting climax of a distasteful The specialist was a dealer in brains. The more damaged the article the keener his interest, hut he abhorred tKe spectacle of no "brains at all. Therefore, the young and frivolous guests • <*athered under the roof' of Torquil towers, although they excluded him from-their extensive Tagging, lmtated htV nerves by their high spirits. . Moreover, he personally disliked tlie American purchaser of Torquil Towers—Theophilus A." Pine, the Soap King, who; despite the cleanly nature of the commodity he . handled; had emerged from the - labours of making *--" s pile. with considerably soiled hands and a besmirched' Maine. • But' the crown of Aubriot s disappointment lay in the fact that the in-tereteting-'case he had been detailed to watch was little better than a frand. It had sonnded so promising when Cornelius Van Crouch, the doctor relative, of the Pine family, had given him * its details before handing over his cousin for the opinion of the specialist. ; . ' . '• ■ .. - , Mrs Pine had been even more empha-

tic in her statements. " Yes. I know* you don't go ont as a "rale." she had" remarked. "Thev liavo to come to you:. but we don't iinind, what we pay. 1 so long as you cure Virpie. She's only queer so far, hut she'li end'-.in being rrnzwl. It's this way. W"ken Poppa bought this place off thpso Torquils, Virpie was just sot on all the. old. mouldv part of it. She got dreamy-like and mazed. Slies wonderfully spry at music, and she s started off to learn the spindle. Spinet. ■ Yes. of course .spinet. Then she got ■ into the wav of playing minuets, and those old-fashioned dances. .And there yon have the whole tronlile in a hickory nutshell!" . ■■ Aubriot proceeded .to wind up the 10-qnacious -qnacious lady anew. : "Well?" lie had inquired sympathetically. , .. •"Well, you know, doctor, if you were to play a walte.for.'folk to danefc. you'd.keep straight on, not .troubling .about anything so long as you kept the time. Virgie's got like that. W hen she starts playing one of those old dances, she's got a notion she's play-- ' ing to folk she", can't see. To give them a name, I just call them 'spooks. XnJ'she ~l£sH» downfiglft struck- and acts silly. She's getting worse every -Jay.: Oornelins calls her a real hat- . £ing mscl" •' , . v Aubriot had looked forward to seeing Virginia. From what. he hail heard of her strange personality, springing from so sonlid a stock as the parent Pines, he , expected to find , a tfcrftw *>ack to a .period before the soiling of the Mayflower. , He was ▼ety forcibly struck by the idea of the little American, uprooted from her ferand-dew surroundings, and planted into the T»nerable" pile of Torqnil Towers.i finding her mind straying back into the , past . as, subconsciously, ' through the notes of her spinet, Jier ; # spirit' sojjebt. communion with tho shades of departed generations. The actual Virginia proved an _elccirip iWk There was nothing- of tlie abont, her.* Radically American, with scraps of surface veneer from every European capital daubed freelv all over her, the whole i rcnclipolished by a Parisian education, she rfronglv reminded hini of a.black bntterffv.lt was tme that the face, from which her hair Trizzed back, w*as colourless, but her' pallor was easilv traceable to a very tin psychological »canser-candv. . She-was spoiled, selfrentred, anil nenrotic. and Anbriot was inclined to attribute her.siipposed delusions to hysteria, engendered by indigestion. especially as he, could see no signs to justify " her parents fear of 'mental malady. Virginia was evidently shrewd enough to understand the value attached, to the unknown quantity, and resisted any attempt to lie drawn regarding her claims to be an object /if""general interest. > _ . , Anbriot looked at her now lnpntiently as she leaned forward, a delighted spectator of the pig-hunt. "Isn't that-just cute?" she asked. "1 like to ioin, hut it might give me palpitations." ' • - I ' The next minute, with a squeal ot l>u"hter, she had rnshed down into the"fray, leaving Auhrii.t deep in reflection. ' , , The result of his meditation he imparted later to. a Council of three Mrs Pine, Van Crouch, and Captain Blair, BJS'., one of tlie guests. "You have had my opinion of your daughter this morning. Mrs Pine, he •• I believe her delusion is simpIt the result of hysteria, but, with her temperamenf. it is undoubtedly danherons to allow it to take deeper root. T do not say yonr daughter is untruthfill ** Blair raised his brows at the memory of Virginia's romances, hut Aubriot took no notice. "Yonr daughter apparently firmly believes," Aubriot continued, "that j>he plavs for nnseen dancers. Now, 1 want her to see them and with yonr help, Captain Blair, 1 think \i« '-.in • ffect our object." . , " 1 ?" stammered the astonished vonng man. , , ' "Yes, Y«.vi. Aomig people ~p .ilwaVs on the qui vive for a fresh sensatUJfl- Give tliem , one to-night a «host cavotte. llig yourselves out in tS, »nd don't be sparing ot the powder Dance on one ot the lawns to her music. Miss Virginia is very scnridicule ,nnd if it can be prov»l that she lias simply >eo,, tle m<tim of a practical joko, «< shall 'VsPineTratdied her nose thoughtfU"'You'll never get Virgie to plav!" .lie r e S d- h gr - nnet j at spec-ial-Guess vou've ent ofr a bigger chunk t'ian von can chew there, doctor, he »aiJ." " Bnt y° u loav ?, tha part to me. I'w got an idea." Th#> vonng American hail not overrated h*K powers of resource. •Vnbrioi felt uneasy that evening as "pest after guest slipped nnostentationslv away, all alert with suppressed excitement about the coming masquerade. He tried to pin Virginia down

to a tete-a-tete, hut sho soon grew restive, anil he was relieved beyond I measure when Cornelius came towards I them. "Coine on, Yirgie," saiil Cornelius, I "into the music-room, We have a dandy treat oil to-night, doctor. Virgie's going to play for me to make records ." Virginia's eyes sparkled with vanity. - " We're going to send the records after to the folk we know in the States," she explained to Anliriot. "My! They will he tickled to hear me play again." Two minutes later the girl was seated at the piano in the music-room, her wine-coloured dress making a vivid splash of brightness against the gloomy background. Aubriot, who had not expected much of a performance, was astonished at the briliancy and precision with which sho tossed -off a couple of Sousa's marches. That she was quick to notice his admiration was evident from tho artifices and eye battery with which sho onibelished her playing. _ The two men kept feeding licr with, piece after piece, as though she were an animated pianola. Presently Aubriot looked at his watch. Although a bachelor, he was' enabled by the aid of his. professional experience to determine the time ; -limit of the most exacting femininfc toilette. Even now his keen ear seemed to detect the faint rustle of a silken petticoat and the tap of a high-hecled slipper on the staircase outside, as though the ancestors had stepped from their frames and were banded together in' a mighty of the Portraits. .• AY lien an unmistakable twentieth-century giggle, keyed up to the high pitch of "society," broke through the fron-frou and- click of skirt and slipper, .Aubriot spoke •hastily.- . .

"Tliank.you so much. Miss Virginia. [.'Now just one more. One of you-r Old | English dances." _ :<:■ V'-ginia lowered, her lids and looked at him sideways, with the slanting glance of a suspicious eat.; ' : "I can't." she'muttered sullenly. "If I do, thev will want lo dance." . ""Well, why shouldn't they? Very pood taste on their part! Anyone, would want to danoo to yonr .playing. You would make the Archbishop «f Canterbury join in a cellar-flap. That is the wliole secret of this puzzling • business. Have you ever seen them. Reassured bv the matter-of-fact tone of Anbriot's voice, Virginia was betraved into answermg' the- carelessly ,tacked-on question. Tlie hlack pupils 'of her eyes seemed to split for the fracition of a second, revealing a glimpse •^Y^don't^^"know—exactly,"" she said. »I—l think so. At least, lin not sure." * . , Aubriot smiled at the hesitation, so tvoical of her case. He had evideiitlv taken her unawares— tapped * weak' spot. *By she would be well coached up in the appearance of' the dream-dancers, with every tail supplied hv the fertile imagination of hvsteria. , , . . - He took the girl's arm and led Her towards the spinet. ' " Just one," he pleaded. ' Somethnig to remember you by." • Tho flattery in his voitfe drew \ircinia down to the music-stool, but -licr hands still hung motionless oyer the yellow keys. Then sho looked up at .Aubriot. , ~ " i'ni afraid always when 1 !'ia.>she said pitifully. " I'm afraid 1 might lose the time. I can't explain ,but- — if. ever I put them out of step—something will hap|sfcn."

"What?" . " Something— terrible./ Something —I don't .know-—. • Aubriot looked at lier keenly as lier voice dragged a(i'ay. It was evident shft was once again romancing, bnt although her hesitating words-., were neither fluent nor convincing, she' had plainly succeeded in''taking in herself ; for hor black eye< were now dnrk pools of staring fright. He flung aside the portiere that di'vided,the music-room from the drawingroom. and, crossing over to the great windows, drew buck the curtains. ' "The moou H just full." he said softly. " What a night. to dance! Can't you fancy you see them on the la wn?" He was about to switch o!f some of the lights when ho felt a hand touch his shoulder, and Cornelins —unobtrusive, alert, and endowed with the selfeffacing q'ualitieS of a perfect witness — spoko softly: : "Say!" he whispered. " Leave me one/light. I'm going to have a recordof this. Sure!"' » Aubriot nodded. Then ho threw open the great window and waited. The. room was almost in shadow, but a circle of light flickered like a great golden moth over the figure of the girl at the-spinet. '"They are waiting!" whispered Aubriot, conscious of his nerves being at extreme tension.

Virginia gave an affected little wriggle! . Well, you must neither of you speak, or hum, or do anything to distract hie," she commanded. " Promise!'' The instant the men had •jiveri. their word their lingers fell hungrily 011 the old keys, and through the room' stole the thin strains of a gavotte. Aubridt looked at the girl. To his astonishment, he noticed) that the moment. she began to play a tidal wave of oblivion seemed to pass over her face, completely sweeping away every sign of self-consciousness. Her head nodding in time with the stately measure, her body .swaying in unison, she seemed to have packed her whole personality into the expression of the music. As the man watched, his own foot suddenly began to tan the parquet Hcoring—an - involuntary tribute to the spell. There was a curious fascination- about the old-world air thus loosed from its prison in a faded manuscript. Daintily the notes minced through the mom, picking their way with high-stepping precision. It was starchy and pri.dishyet withal graceful, and sweet with the lilt of eternal youth and romance. An oft-recurring refrain wove itself again and again through the melody, tying the notes into harmony, like the blue ribbon of a true-lover's knot. l r p and down, down and up, now loud, now soft, it rippled on,, with an exquisite rhythm that rose and fell like the swell of a stately tide. Aubriot broke free from his reverie. The time, had come for action. Crossin" a«*ain to the window, he looked into the nT"ht. But. even though prepared for the spectacle that greeted his eyes, so strong was the witchery of the gavotte that lie started in spite of himcelf as lie looked on to the lawn. The dark sward stretched bciore him with the softness of black velvet hut the moon, shining through the tall trees, shed a tracery of light oil the darkness like the lacey edge oi an old valentine. . Moving to and fro in measured tread to the strains of the spinet was a sliadowv company of dancers ill shimmering draperv and courtly dress. Silhouetted whitely against the dark yowlied"es, ti.ev seemed gliostly and unreal? stranded strays from the Ago oi Patch and IWder, called back by the spell of the music once more to toot it on the dew-spangled grass under the limelight radiance of tho moon. "Capital effect!" thought Aubriot, rubbing his chin with appreciation. Then he turned towards Virginia. Her eves were closed, her lips pressed together .as if in a passionato exclusion of all outside interests. For some long seconds tho specialist hesitated. It seemed almost akin to want"* - cruelty to break in on her ab-

sorption and rudely shatter her reverie. At last, shaking off the fancy with an eflort, ho'spoke suddenly and sharply. "Look!" lie pointed to the window. The word was like a pistol-shot crashing through tho crystal of a -magic globe. Something seemed ■to snap in the air.' One could almost hear the whir of the 'crotchets and quavers as they were suddenly dashed off the stave like a swarm of black bees; tlse music tripled in its lilting rhythm—floundered to a fall. A low cry hurst from Virginia's lips. Aubriot, expected her to spring to her feet and come to the window. To his surprise, without another glance, she leant agairi over the notes, hot m the trail of the air, picking up the mangled melody, until, with hardly a break, it rippled on again in fluting sweetness. The specialist frowned with annoyance. Apparently his plan had failed. Again he turned to the window, hut the dancers had now disappeared. A few moments later with one final nervetingling chord the gavotte was over. For a space Virginia sat staring into vacancy, licr hands hanging limply by her sirles. Then, without warning., she threw herself on the ground in an restrained passion of grief. W hen Aubriot bent over her she shook- off his hand in a frenzy of terror. ■ "You broke vour word!" she shrieked. " I lost the time. 1 put them out. It means —death!" Cornelius, who had been an interested spectator of the scene, now, as he stroked his cousin's hand gently, darted an angrv glance at Aubriot. "Why did you scare her doctor!-*' he asked angrily. " You ve made her real sick now. Guess we don't treat our women that "'ay. 1 wouldn't touch your darned methods with a lpng'pole." ■ ' "Turn on the lights! ' was Aubriot .-= sole answer. \ . . • , He heard the sounds of footsteps outside. and he knew that the ailers had returned ~A s t h< \ clusters of electric bulbs burst iiuo golden bloom. Hooding tlie place with light, the door was flung wide and a laughing throng of uamtly-garhed figures. dashing into the room and made, ring round the girl. , Yir"inia gazed at them with bewilderment. In spite of paint, patrh nnd powder, face after face grew familiar. \s one hv one her guests' identity peeped through their e denlv scarlet. To -Vuhriot s mteii >e jov -he I'.ung aside - Cornelius s hand though it had been her-hot iron, sublet ting his own to similar treatment £ she hastily drew. , her over her dainty ankles. He gloried 1 her restoration to her fierce seiise the proprieties after her distressing self-abandonment. "What- does this mean. Captain Blair?" she demanded ol the nearest '"'"lt means I'll' soon be a hlancman"e if f don't get this stuff out of mv head," was the prompt answer. "Powder ran out, and they dredged me with cornflour. It's .been a ripping lark, Miss l'ine. We rigged ourselves up like 'old-time Johnnies, and went dancing out there on the lawn to your music. ■ Didn't you see US * Y . ' Yes, I saw you," answered A irginia quietlyl ■ . •• ]t was simply divine, chargedin one of the Canstair twins. "We smartest thing we've done this year. Our ghost gavotte! And that sweet quaint spinet! But you put us out once." ~ ' " You lost the time. Y oil remember?" remarked Aubriot meaningly, turning to Virginia. -- • Her. visiblv increasing humiliation crave him added satisfaction. Getting 5p ' fronr • the jgroundj - .*ho looked: sqtiiirelv into, the laughing faces of her guests." Then she summed up her feelings in one terse sentence. "Well!! I guess I've maflte a real fool of mvseif!" - "With a glow of professional pleasure Aubriot registered- another success. He took little note of the noisy eohimotion and, laughter that followed, for* his thoughts were dwelling on trains back to town. But when the exuberant crew finally started upstairs to shed their, borrowed plumage he stopped Captain • Blair for. a moment, "Thanks, Blair," lie said. " lou did capitally and put it all in. 1 am hopeful that- you've bounced that silly «irl out of her delusions." ■ "Well,- I flatter myself, it was no nine-carat affair," replied Blair modestly. " All the same, it seemed rather rotten to guy one's hostess like that! Only the Momma was with us, egging us. on.. 1 What did we . like, footing away on the west lawn 1- " South lawn,"' corrected the doc-

tor. ~ ' Blair drew his mouth to one side. ' •' I'm ready to give yon best oyer jjills and blisters, doctor." he answered. "But you must- allow a'sailor to know a littfe about the ptiilits ol the compass. West —I say west. • As lie went out of, the. room, leaving the specialist alone, Aubriot- turned towards the great south window, repeating obstinately: '• And I say south." . But immediately lie gave a violent start and then sprang in the direction where lie was gazing. I'or a little space his eyes strained into the shadows of the lawn. Then he threw away his cigar,- crossed to a mirror, atid' looked at 'himself closely, critic-is-ms his tired eyes and dragged cheeks with professional scrutiny. "I'm going to prescribe for you. "Id man," he said softly to his i-cjlection. " Something you're not specially keen on —bed." But as lie passed out- of the rroom he threw a last glance at the south window —a glance of half-expectant, wliollv nervous trepidation. Tie could have sworn that, a moment previously, pressed against the panes, it.s dark eyes glazed with terror, he I had soon a strange white face pet in a frame of powdered hair. In spite of Ins g«»d ,resolutions, Aubriot proved that lie possessed a very bad patient in hiinsell, for lie did not rest long that night. .Moreover, "hntever he put on at one end lie took on at the other, for early in the small irrcy hours of the morning lie was pacing the grounds of Torqml Towers. Tn the dim light everything looked chill and eerie as he approached the south lawn. The clipped peacocks oil the yew hedge watched austerely over the prim turf, whose unrnl'llcd surface disclaimed any suggestion of having lieen a scene or overnight revelry. Aubriot whistled softly; then he walked round to the west lawn. Here a very different scone met his eyes. Alas for the graceful slide and bend on the stately gavotte! Hutted with the imprints of high heels, and bearing the marks of many a slip and stump, the wet grass reminded him forcibly of the mutilated ground niter a cat tie show. "Blair was right," he admitted. "The dance evidently took place here," Then he leaned against all old sundial. and began lo retlect on the face he imagined he had seen at the window. It rose up instantly in vivid relief before his mental vision. Triangular in shape, eyes set widely apart; chin tajjering to a sharp point, it did not correspond in any single detail to the face of any one of the guests. Tho brain specialist knitted his brows. " Rather interesting," he mused. '"Clearly a case of mental telepathy —automatic suggestion of some kind.

Jn my keyed-up, receptive . condition last night I Was a lit subject to receive a. vivid impression .of the . creation of that girl's imagination. Sho was hazy about what she thought she saw, hutshe transmitted a. very clear mental photograph to my sensitised brain. Very interesting!" -. Ho looked forward with"eagerness to meeting his patient. At the very first sight of her at the breakfast .table he was further reassured. During the night she had shed her airs of self-im-portance, and appeared now shamefaced and unwilling to meet his eye. . It was only by. dint of strong maternal persuasion that she was coax.ed \ ipto the drawing-room after the meal for a final interview. Before he could,.speak she burst into the subject. "It's real mean in you,, doctor,. to talk about last night," she cried. "I feel so mortified i' could just cry.- 1 reckon 1 got crazed about' this, old house, and started to moon a lid ,fant-y. But 1 allow I'm cured: now, and-that's a cinch. I'll never- be. caught ; again grovelling on tho. Ax minster.' • showing six inches of stpek'ing! Not me!" . Aubriot smiled. t . •

"That's all right," he said. "Now, with a confident heart," 1- can wish you good-bve, with the very pleasant hope that I may. never see yoii agafn.- Ifut', befori' I go, suppose you jifay me that gavotte again. I want to hear.,it." Virginia jxhited. Nothing oil earth could induce her to play that dreadful.'piece, she'vowed, yet in the midst of her - protestations she began to play. . . . ' Leaning back in his scat listening, Aubriot looked round the 1 great room Two old portraits of tho Stuart period at the end of the room caught-hirf eye and stirred a - vogue wofuler. in. his breast. But his brain only worked feebly. Virginia's performance* , engrossed -his attention! and when she had'finished he thanked her heartily. ■ There was no doubt tliat" the : neurotic girl had beeii laughed out of her ]iysteriii. 'The haunting quality, had completely disappeared; fr-oiii 'her jMyiiig, .and ijo touch mystery iiow ; transforiiu'd her pretty .'face -fi-om' tlie coiiimonplace. ' • Aubriofs interest in her. died on the sp<it-.. She was no longer a case.

The next day" found him back ,'in London, - starting fresh . . researches, tracking to its. lair .tlie.-sprirk of reason that hiid-strayed .'from, its .righttul course :md been lost in- the labyrinth, of a diseased brain, v • • ~

But the Pines did not forget ...Au-. bruit as easily- as Aubriou-'torgoo thu Pines. From time' to time' lie ' re-c-ived grateful : tetters. ' giying copious (details of- Virginia's iuiproyement; as expressed principally, in golf-scores. >S'.ie was a different girl, they asserted, -adding with the true ; Irish touch that 'they had to thank Aubriot for her. ristivratioii anil eould not lie sufficiently gratcM'ul. .••»"' ' f ' 'l'he specialist yawned over the letters, -but' duly filed them-, away, with the record of .the case. About six months later-Aubriot had further news of.Virginia Pine. Oil the eve of. his departure to India for a lung overdue holiday ho received an .unexpected visitor in the sliapo of Dr V-an. Crouch. The. young American was evidently permeated with joy. He bore unofficial news of- a. great event that had taken place .in the. Pine family, and--which was shortly going to press tinder the heading-of "A'marriage has been arranged." • Virginia Pine liad become engaged to.no less a porsonage thaii the presen,t-Lord Torquil. ' t '.^ " Thought you'd like to kniow, i'seei.ng you'rti responsible l for ; rubbing the moss off Virgie. doctor," said his American colleague on parting, mauling Aubriot's hand painfully. " 11 And, by the way7l brought yon some of-the . records I toqk of her playing that night'. ; You ;.rcmomber. They're real good,' and-, I suspicioned they'd sort' of interest you as souvenirs." .

Aubriot thanked: liis-visitor mechanically, and went upstairs,to his, packing. Pitching the. bundle. into a half-filled bag, he let his thoughts wander m'briien? tarily on the strange chance that - had led the, little American ■ interloper . to link her, lot with the original owner of Torquil Towers. . Then, suddenly, he gave, a short laugh of excitement; an extraordinary thoui'ht had struck him.

" That face at the window,", lie said aloud.. " I have it now.. "It borea strong resemblance to. the Toiquil family portraits. Very ,ap£. Fits in with the girl's delusions,. which were evidently engendered and coloured I by her surroundings. > "■ ' Anbriot's interest, however, was but perfunctory,, for tlie case of ' Virginia Pine had long beeri shelved'to make room for the fresh arrivals. In the; months that fpllowed it receded, entirely from his memory, for, although liis visit to India: was to' partake of . the nature of a rest-cure, his life-iyork had built him a reputation that, rose np. like Macbeth, to murder peace. Social engagements and invitations poured in upon him, for the letters after his name were too .numerous to 'be sheltered under the simple disguise of the two whieh go to make'the identity of .'a G.T.

After a constant 1 round of sightseeing, and being seen, as England's latest lion, Aubriot accepted with keen relief an invitation to spend a week in a bungalow high up in the hills. His host, Major Croft', a man who spoke little, but who smoked most eloquently, proved an ideal companion a.t the end of the long days which the .specialist spent rambling amouhg* the hills, finding in the pure air and solitude a perfect pa 11 neon for Wain-faff.

On the last day of his visit he walked down the steep path among the deodars with a feeling of deep regret. On one side the ground fell sheer away and as he looked down the precipice to the blue distances' the thought of the grime-filled streets of London his teeth 011 edge. - He shook his'.fist at a grey ape that ragged him Ironi the branches above his head. His face was still clouded with' the thought ol his return when lie reached the bungalow. ni l Croft met liim-on the vcrnr.dah, and his host's first words did not dispol hi.** " " Ilotton nuisance!" Croft■ grumbled. '•Shan't have our "final jaw! Visitor —Lord Torquil—girl he's engaged to told him to look yon up.' Bade again went Croft's pipe, as ll loth to leave bis lips for so long a spell. . Aubriot swore expressive y. '* Whoro is ho'r" ho askod. •'ln mv room —sleeping —lagged out. He's playing in some theatricals—- ' School for Scandal —m Simla - toni'dit. and has come a deuce out ol iut> wirv '.ready dressed, to take you ..in. Had to make a triangle to do it. Heard von were leaving to-morrow, and it would l.e his only chance Said his rrirl would never forgive him it < litdidn't manage it somehow. I 'J 11 ', he wants the chance 1o jabber about 1U Crolt. looked gloomy asjie uttered his dark suspicion about Torquil s sire for conversation, and then collapsed into silence, completely worn out bv the strain. . , , . "For a moment the pair smoked m silence. Then Aubriot spoke petulantJy - " I don't know the i'ellow from Adam. Hang the Pines! I never had a case that"kept cropping up so after it was done with. I always have the feeling that I'm never to be clear of it — that there's still something to come."

Blue rings from Croft's pipe answered him effectually. "H.e'll have , a hundred questions to •ask, about that girl," resumed . Aubriot, and it will be talking through tlie back of my neck to answer them. Just out from home with his-regiment, isn't' he? Well, I suppose I mustsacrifice myself, and resurrect a few creditable anecdotes of Miss -Virginia -L. Pine, of U.S.A." ■ " He can't stop long," grunted Croft hopefully. ■This optimism was contagious. Aubriot suddenly gave a smile of inspiration.

"I have it!" ho exclaimed. "1 have some.records of Miss Pine's playing. Packed them -by mistake and carted them round India, Evidently, -for this." There's a reason for everything, Croft,-my boy, as -we learn in our scientific-A B C.- Just-put them on tho 'gramaphone. They will interest him." , ■ As Aubriot luirricd • off to find the bundle it struck -liiiii as- a strange freak of Fate' that the records he had hitherto regarded a's au incubus should lie tested, for the* first time in tlie presence of; the sole person for whom they coiild 'possess any value. Croft slipped on a record and- started to wind tip the gramaphone. •, He grunted sympathetically. "Torquil will have a bean-feast," lie- said. "Hearing his beloved playing to him -in benighted India. Haiig it all, Aubriot, they're young! And they're infernally in love!' Aubriot nodded. As the thin strains of tlie gavotte broke free from the irhir of the instrument an unwonted feeling •of sentiment stirred in his crusted heart. From- the sweet notes of the-spinet a young girl in ; her sheltered English home seemed to be calling to her lover in his. Eastern exile'. . ; Croffc stole along the verandah in the. direction of "Torquil s room. "I'll dig,him out-," .lie said. ' | Carelessly he raised' the click. Then Alibiot, who was watching his host, I saw a: sudden,change sweep over Croft's 'face. His finger# sawe.d blindly in the air and- he. beckoned frantically to his "friend., ■ '- Aubriot in turn stole noiselessly to the doorway. • " • At first, as lie looked into the darkened room, lie could-see nothing. Then he; became aware ' of ; a ,man stretched out, in a cane lounge-chair. He wore a.Court suit of the'-Georgian period, and a powdered white wig- framed ghastly. features set iii a stare. ol -agony. ~ * , ' •' : , ■ With a sharp, stab at. his heart Aubriot recognised the fape of Lord Torvquil. -.He" had seen it- before. • -Jt-'-was the face'of- the-window! •In that' tcn.se moment.-the brain, realised the riddle .of A'i*sion as it stood revealed'in ,a baleful .light of significance. .The episode -at Torquil "Towers was only one half — the unconnected comedy-.of; a nowderpufF. Here, was tho other half. • And that other, half was—tragedy. N On Torn nil's breast, -a- d.-'rlc mass •bulged, coil upon, coil of hideous life, and the' man's terror-struck gaze was concentrated on the threatening head of a huge cobra. - ' ' Aubriot. could ' see - the spectaclemarks on the scales .shining 'in-"the light of the setting sun as-the creature swav-' ed to and fro but a foot distant from .the. forehead, of tho : motionless man

• Daintily and niiriemgly the notes of the gavotte trickled.' in with thosickly sweetness of. the old-world air, steeped with lavender and "jjot-ponrri. T.'n and down, down and up, it jippled with perfect time , and beat. _ As the spell of the rythm threw, its nOose over the noptilo Croft clutched Atibriot's" shoulder with a 'grip of iron. The snake was dancing to the music! . ".My gun!" Croft whispered. "Pray God. 'll ho in time before the record ends!" l . Aiibriot'could not stir. 9no- - the awful draught -of th'o prescient- Immortals had been vouchsafed him. ' ,(- He knew the, end. y .A year ago, in the quiet of an English home,. the tragedy had been played out in the sound of-a girl's shriek. The white, face, : the staring eves, the swnyirig'snake—-all passed away. He could oiilv sec-.a. darkened room and a girl , ih.' a. wine-coloured robe playing in a golden circlet of light. I have . lost •the time. It means death!'!' ' . . The words rang through Jus brain again- and again, tho dainty notes still rippling on' like a thread of delicate beads. , The oscillatiohs of the reptile grew dreamy a$ tho music stwped; its senses. . - ■ '.Like a shadow tlx: form of Croft slid down - the passage. A moment passed with tho dragging eternity of-an hour. As he waited Au* briot's scalp, tightened a a if fn.in the pressure of an encircling* vice. _ Then suddenly, it' came —tho dreaded flaw in tho .record!

The music stumbled to discord. ,- At that moment, t-wo tilings happened almost simultaneously. The Isnako strnbk> ntod Croft fired. • But- before the: smoke ' cleared'- Aubriot had answered, the unspoken question in 'Croft's' eye's.

. "He shook his head, for he knew that, even ..aS; it was in the beginning, it was the Hour of the Snake.