84 A Mented Struggle.
She lets a slow sweet smile grow upon her lips and curve
them into perfect beauty, and lifts her great lustrous eyes
languidly to his.
" You do not bore me ; pray believe that," she says, in a
tone that, if still only frigidly friendly, is yet far difierent
from anything she has used towards him since the begin¬
ning of their short acquaintance. Assured of -victory, she
makes a little gesture -svith her hand that invites him to
reseat himself beside her.
Felix looks at the beautiful hand, and a peculiar smile
crosses his face.
" How good that is of you !" he says at last, as though
overcome with gratitude. " Too good ! I shall reward
you for it, and for all your courtesy to me, without delay."
He smiles again, and, bowing slightly, turns away and
bends his steps to where Lady Olivia is sitting near the
fire.
Miss Heriot's teeth close upon her under-lip, and her eyes
emit a faint flash. It is the fh'st time in all her experience
that a seat near her has been willingly abandoned. After
a moment, when she has had time to quite recognise her
defeat, an overpowering sense of amusement takes pos.^es-
sion of her, mingled -n'ith her chagrin, and a faint laugh
escapes her.
Becoming conscious that Patricia is near her—her game
with old Brown having come to an end—she beckons to her.
" Sing us something—anything," she whispers hurriedly;
and Patricia with a smile obeys, and gives them a little
pretty French thing with a verve, a freshness, for which
her guests are hardly prepared.
She has a charming voice, cultured to the last degree,
flexible and soft. Felix is openly delighted with it, and,
forsaking for the time his allegiance to Lady Olivia, goes
over to the piano to beg her to sing again. His begging
enriches him. Patricia, having discovered with necessary
politeness that 3Iiss Brown is not musical, gives him song
after song with quite a little friendly an-, and every now
and then a smile.
Sitting thus at the piano, with her fingers idly strum¬
ming sentimental chords, and her lips murmuring to him
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