'If I sit beside you, I shall scold you, be warned of that, sir,' answered the lady archly, tapping him with her fan. They progressed down the room.

There was an instant's embarrassed silence, before the Marquis, with a frozen face, bowed to his wife and proffered his arm.

Theo saw Pedersen approaching her, smirking. She turned her back on him, her heart thumping. Oh, why didn't Meme come for her? He must. She willed him to her with a convulsive inner spasm. But Lewis was cornered by Gallatin. She saw his fair head bent courteously toward the Secretary of the Treasury, who was emphasizing a point with gestures. She couldn't keep on ignoring Pedersen. She must do something. She threw discretion overboard, glided across the floor as unobtrusively as possible.

'Perhaps Captain Lewis will be so kind as to escort me down to dinner,' she said lightly, turning on Gallatin her most brilliant smile, as excuse for interruption. 'Captain Lewis and I used to know each other long ago in New York, Mr. Gallatin. We must renew our acquaintance.'

The Swiss bowed. 'Of course, Madame'. His accented voice was chill. He did not like being interrupted. Those Burrs—he thought—like father like daughter—models of effrontery.

Lewis quietly took her hand and tucked it beneath his arm. 'Neatly done, my dearest,' he murmured.

She leaned against him, faint and dizzy from the joy of his nearness. 'Oh, Merne,' she whispered, 'it's been such a long dismal day without you. Did you miss me?'

'I did.'

The crisp dryness of the two monosyllables delighted her, more convincing than any amount of flowery protestations. She laughed, a low trill of happiness.

They were descending the stairs, Aaron a few steps behind them with Mrs. Gallatin on his arm. He could not hear what they said, but he heard Theo's laugh, and he had missed nothing of her boldness in demanding the Captain's escort. His eyes narrowed. He failed to comment on Mrs. Gallatin's anecdote about the cleverness of her little son, and the good matron was astonished. Whatever else Colonel Burr might be, she had always before thought him the acme of attentive courtesy.

When the confusion of seating had died down, Theo found herself between Lewis and Pedersen near the center of the table. The Marquis and Marchioness de Casa Yrujo sat to gether in haughty disapproval at the foot. Aaron had seated himself next to the Marquis, whom he thought it worth while to cultivate. From this position he could also watch Theo.

'What a remarkable room,' observed Pedersen, endeavoring to get her attention. 'Have you ever been here before, Mrs. Alston?'

She turned reluctantly from Meme.

'No, I haven't. But what is there so remarkable about it?' She had in fact not observed the room at all. Her surroundings were of cloudy unimportance. Even Aaron was out of focus. She was quite unaware of his veiled inspection.