Lois stood there smiling, thinking, the tint of excitement still brilliant in her cheeks.

“No, I could not hope to contrive such a verse — — ” she mused aloud. “Yet — I might try — — ” She lifted her grey eyes to mine as though awaiting my decision.

“Try,” said I — I don’t know why, because I never dreamed she had a talent for such trifles.

For a second, as her eyes met mine, I had the sensation of standing there entirely alone with her. Then the clamour around us grew on my ears, and the figures of the others again took shape on every side.

And “Try!” they cried. “Try! Try!”

“Yes,”