There  was  something  very  like  a  question
in  her  glance.  Oswin  Grace  did  not  look
pleased,  and  his  eyes  turned  from  one  face
to  the  other  searchingly.  Then  she  seemed
suddenly  to  have  received  an  answer  to  her
query,  for  she  turned  to  Helen  and  launched
into  narration  gaily.
"  I  will  tell  you,"  she  said,  "  why  these


90  PIiISONi:RS  AND   CAPTIVES.
details  are  engraven  so  indelibly  upon  such
a  poor  substance  as  my  memory.  It  was
rather  a  grand  night  ;  royalty  was  present,
and  the  theatre  was  almost  full.  In  front
of  me  were  two  men  who  did  not  appear  to
be  taking  an  absorbing  interest  in  the  play,
for  one  was  drawing  something  which  I
took  to  be  a  map  upon  his  programme  ..."

"  It  ?vas  a  map,"  confessed  Tyars,  lightly.
"  While  he  whispered  earnestly  at  inter-
vals to  his  companion.  I  came  to  the
conclusion  that  he  was  trying  to  persuade
him  to  go  and  look  for  Livingstone,  which
suggestion  was  not  well  received.  At  last
he  turned  round.  I  thougrht  he  was
admiring,  or  at  least  noticing,  the  new
diamond  star  in  my  hair,  but  subsequent
events  proved  that  he  was  looking  over  my
head.  I  was  disappointed,"  she  added
aside  to  Tyars.
"  I    both     noticed    and     admired,"     he


A   RU  UNION.  91


exclaimed  in  self-defence.  "  There  were
two  diamond  stars,  one  much  larger  than
the  other."

All,  except  Oswin,  laughed  at  this  feat
of  memory.
