"Imp!" she whispered, rising to her feet, "Imp, come here at once, sir!" There was a moment's breathless pause, and then the Imp squirmed himself into view.
"Hallo, Auntie Lisbeth!" he said, with a cheerfulness wholly assumed.
"Oh!" she cried, distressfully, "whatever does this mean; what are you doing here? Oh, you naughty boy!"
"Lisbeth," I said, as I rose in my turn and confronted her, "Do not blame the child—the fault is mine—let me explain; by means of a ladder—"
"Not here," she whispered, glancing nervously towards the ball-room.
"Then come where I can."
"Impossible!"
"Not at all; you have only to descend these steps and we can talk undisturbed."
"Ridiculous!" she said, stooping to replace the Imp's cap; but being thus temptingly within reach, she was next moment beside us in the shadows.
"Dick, how could you, how dared you?"