The last stragglers had passed; the shouts of the mob were growing fainter as it dashed across the city. The Aran houses were still dark and silent, with only an occasional inmate slinking out to gaze fearfully around. Directly across the street, the white figure of a woman just returned from the grove showed for an instant in a doorway. Then it fled inward, into the darkness. "_The palace!_" Loto explained abruptly. "_They're going to the palace!_" The words seemed to bring to Fahn the realization that action by him was needed. For the moment his anxiety over his daughters became secondary. "Come!" he cried. "We must protect the king." He hurried them through the garden and along the street. Almost running, the three men headed toward where the mob could still be heard, shouting in the distance. CHAPTER TEN George had been standing with his friends beside the pavilion, silently watching the festival reach its height. The bell tolled; the masks and cloaks were discarded. A bevy of nymphs draped in flowing gauze came dashing out. As they passed, one of them caught George by the arm, pulling him along a few steps; her eyes, half hidden by her tumbling hair, mocked him provocatively. He jerked away. A tide of other figures flowed from the pavilion, following the nymphs to the beach. George fought his way back, seeking to rejoin his friends; in that crowd they could get lost so easily. He was looking about, wondering just where they had been standing before, when he saw Dee. Her white cloak had fallen from her head to her shoulders. She was standing alone, apparently lost in reverie. George hastened to her. "Where are--" But her vehement gesture silenced him; again she seemed lost in thought. For a moment he stood wondering what was the matter with her. The music from the pavilion throbbed out into the moonlit grove; gaiety was surging all around them. Finally George could stand it no longer. "Dee, what is it? What's the matter?" She looked up with an anxious frown. "Something is wrong with Azeela. She's trying to tell me what's wrong." "Oh?" George glanced hastily about. "Where is Azeela? She was here a minute ago. Where are the rest of them? Let's tell them." What did Dee mean? The girl seemed to have forgotten him again. She was moving away, like one who walks under a spell. "Wait. Dee--_wait a minute_!" She kept on going. Figures were passing between them now. George hated to leave his place. He'd never find the others--never get back again. Even now he realized it would be difficult, if not impossible, to find them in all that crowd of masked figures. If he lost Dee, too... He had no choice; he darted after Dee. When he had overtaken her they were some distance from the pavilion. It was more secluded here. George darted up and caught her by the arm. "Dee! What's the matter with you?"