"I may hope, then?"
He had moved closer and almost touched her hand. The pointed hood of the gray friar in the palms showed that at last he saw what he sought.
"No—no. Please—excuse me," she murmured rising and hurrying back to the ballroom.
A subtle smile spread over the gray friar's masked face.
Of course I had known Elaine. Whether she knew me at once I don't know or whether it was an accident, but she approached me as I paused in the dance a moment with my domino girl.
"From the—sublime—to the ridiculous," she cried excitedly.
My partner gave her a sharp glance. "You will excuse me?" she said, and, as I bowed, almost ran off to the conservatory, leaving Elaine to dance off with me.
. . . . . . .
Del Mar, quite surprised at the sudden flight of Elaine from his side, followed more slowly through the palms.
As he did so he passed a Mexican attired in brilliant native costume. At a sign from Del Mar he paused and received a small package which Del Mar slipped to him, then passed on as though nothing had happened. The keen eyes of the gray friar, however, had caught the little action and he quietly slipped out after the Mexican bolero.