“Excuse me, miss, for a moment,” Johnson said, dropping her arm, and leaving her alone in the midst of the dancers. He had seen something in the distance which made him turn pale. And it happened that at that moment, after so long and so ineffectually attempting to catch Eddy’s eye, he at last succeeded in doing so without the slightest difficulty. Eddy had been startled beyond expression by the sight of Johnson’s shabby figure by his sister’s side, and distracted by this sight from all idea of fun; and restraining with difficulty the impulse he had to seize the fellow by the shoulders and turn him out--which evidently he had no right to do--had followed him, no longer now with laughing eyes that saw every movement while appearing to see nothing, but with the furious gaze of the plotter upon whom the tables are turned. When Johnson started, shrank, and dropped Marion’s arm, Eddy, watching, saw the whole pantomime, and saw also the fellow’s almost imperceptible signal towards the window, which stood open behind its drawn curtains for the ventilation of the great warm, heated hall. Eddy turned his own sharp, suspicious eyes toward the spot at which Johnson had looked, and there he saw a somewhat startling sight--a man in morning dress, buttoned up in a warm overcoat, like a visitor newly arrived, standing at the hall door, and gazing with astonishment as at a totally unexpected scene. The sight startled him, though he did not know why. It could be nothing to him, so far as he knew. He did not know what it could be to Johnson. But he was startled. The man looked like some commercial functionary, business-like, and serious, surprised beyond measure to find himself suddenly introduced from the open air and quiet, frosty, chilly night, to the crowded ball-room with all its decorations. Eddy made a dive through the throng towards the window, with an explanation to those around him that the draught was too much for Lady Jean. “I must try and draw the curtains down,” he said, with a shrug of his shoulders at the unreasonableness of women. And in another moment was outside, standing under the brilliant cold stars, which looked down coldly upon this curious little unexpected effect. “What’s the matter?” he said breathlessly to the other dark figure, conspicuous only by the whiteness of his large shirt, among the bushes. “I don’t know,” said Johnson, “unless you’ve been at it again, Master Eddy. Did you see that man? that’s the clerk at the bank that cashed your cheque. I don’t know what brings him here, if you don’t. Anyhow, I thought it the best policy to slip away.” Eddy’s teeth began to chatter--perhaps with the cold. “You confounded fool,” he said, “did you give them the chance of identifying you? I didn’t think you would have been such an ass.”