"Oh--God help me!" gasped Una; and she tore herself out of his arms, and fell up against Amethyst, who came running out on to the balcony and caught her, guiding her as she sank to the ground. There was instantly a bustle and confusion, and the balcony was full of figures,--Lady Haredale, Miss Grattan, and Sylvester, who came back with the remedies he had been to seek. He held the bowl of ice, while Amethyst dipped her handkerchief into it to bathe Una's face, and then, as she revived, he helped Sir Richard to lift her on to a couch. "She's coming round," said Major Fowler. "Poor child, the room was hot--" Amethyst turned and faced him, as it seemed to the newly enlightened Sylvester, like a flame. "Please find the carriage," she said. And then there was a murmur--Lady Haredale desiring Amethyst to stay, she would take Una home, Kattern should go and help her,--Amethyst must not lose her ball. "No, mother--I shall go with Una," said Amethyst, "I could not stay, when she is ill." Major Fowler reappeared, having caught an arriving carriage, and Sir Richard offered to carry Una; but she struggled to her feet, clinging to her sister, and said that she could walk now. He walked by her side, helping her, and Sylvester found their cloaks, and, as he brought them to the foot of the stairs, caught a murmur of "sweetest sisterly affection," and "But you _have_ answered me!" "No--Sir Richard, I have not," said Amethyst, provoked at being urged at such a moment; and, while she spoke, her eyes looked out at the door, as Oliver Carisbrooke came in from the darkness without. He went swiftly up to the group approaching him. "I knew," he said to Amethyst in a low voice, "I knew this night would bring you trouble." How it was, Sylvester never knew, but somehow it was the new-comer who took the first place, and helped them into the carriage, though Sir Richard, as in duty bound, sprang up on to the box--"to see them home." Sylvester walked slowly up-stairs, and back to the balcony. There, on the floor, lay Amethyst's long pink glove, which she had pulled off while waiting on Una. Sylvester picked it up, and held it reverently in his hand. "No, Mr Riddell," and he started violently as Tory stood looking at him with her wicked eyes. "No, please don't, it's very expensive, and it matches her gown exactly. Please get something else, and give that to me." Sylvester coloured, and laughed rather foolishly, restoring the glove to Tory with an elaborate bow. Then,--for what was there now to keep him at the ball?--he went away as soon as possible, back to the lodgings which he usually occupied when in town. Amethyst meanwhile, disregarding Una's entreaty that she would go back to the ball, hastily divested herself of her finery, and came back in her white dressing-gown to her sister's side. "Are you quite comfortable now, my darling? What was I thinking of to let you go?" Una gave a faint little laugh.