"Oh, Sir Thomas," he said, "Mr. Morse has not yet returned, and I think it quite likely he may be some little time. But the Senora Balmaceda and Miss Morse are in the drawing-room and perhaps you would like to--" "I shall be delighted," I said, cutting him short, but who on earth was Senora Balmaceda? The chaperone, I supposed, confound it! The obliging young man led me through two or three very gorgeously furnished rooms and at last into a large apartment brilliantly lit from the roof, and with flowers everywhere. At one end was a little alcove. "I have brought Sir Thomas, Senora," he said, looking about the room, but there was no one remotely resembling a Senora there. Nevertheless, directly he spoke, some one stepped out of the conservatory from behind a tropical shrub in a green tub, and came towards us. It was Juanita, and she was alone. The secretary withdrew and I advanced to meet her. "How do you do, Sir Thomas," she said in her beautiful, bell-like voice. "Father said you might be coming and I'm afraid he won't be in just yet. And it's so tiresome, poor Auntie has gone to bed with a bad headache." "I'm very sorry, Miss Morse," I answered as we shook hands, "I must do what I can to take her place," and then I looked at her perfectly straight. Yes, I dared to look into those marvelous limpid eyes and I know she saw the hunger in mine, for she took her hand away a little hurriedly. "What a charming room! Is that a little conservatory over there? It must look out over the Green Park?" "Yes, it does," she replied almost in a whisper. "Then do let's sit there, Miss Morse." Was I acting in a play or what on earth gave me this sense of confidence and strength? Heaven only knows, but I never faltered from the first moment that I entered the room. Oh, the gods were with me that night! We went to the alcove without a further word, and she sat down upon a couch. I have described her once, at Lady Brentford's ball, but at this moment I am not going to attempt to describe her at all. For half a minute we said nothing and then I took her hand and pressed it to my lips. "Juanita," I said, "there are mysterious currents and forces in this world stronger than we are ourselves. This is the third time that I've seen you, but no power on earth can prevent me from telling you--" She was looking at me with parted lips and eyes suffused with an angelic tenderness and modesty. My voice broke in my throat with unutterable joy. I was certain that she loved me. And then, just as I was about to say the sealing words--remember, I had invoked the gods--there was the sound of a door opening sharply. I stiffened and rose to my feet. From where we sat we could survey the whole, rich room. Through the open door--I must say there were several doors in the room--came a tall man, _walking backwards_. He was in full evening dress with a camellia in his button-hole.