But when they had mounted one flight of stairs, and were beginning to mount a second, the girl’s eyes flashed understanding.

“Major Herne, you’re a real friend in need!”

“Think so?” said Herne.  “Perhaps—­at heart—­I am as selfish as you are.”

“Oh, I don’t mind that,” she rejoined impulsively.  “You are all selfish, every one of you, but—­thank goodness!—­you don’t all want the same thing.”

Montague Herne raised his brows a little.

“Quite sure of that?”

“Quite sure,” said Betty vigorously.  “I always know.”  She added with apparent inconsequence, “That’s how it is we always get on so well.  Are you going to take me right out on to the ramparts?  Are you sure there will be no one else there?”

“There will be no one where we are going,” he said.

She sighed a sigh of relief.

“How good!  We shall get some air up there, too.  And I want air—­plenty of it.  I feel suffocated.”

“Mind how you go!” said Herne.  “These stairs are uneven.”

They had come to a spiral staircase of stone.  Betty mounted it light-footed, Herne following close behind.

In the end they came to an oak door, against which the girl set her hand.

“Major Herne!  It’s locked!”

“Allow me!” said Herne.

He had produced a large key, at which Betty looked with keen satisfaction.

“You really are a wonderful person.  You overcome all difficulties.”

“Not quite that, I am afraid.”  Herne was smiling.  “But this is a comparatively simple matter.  The key happens to be in my charge.  With your permission, we will lock the door behind us.”

“Do!” she said eagerly.  “I have never been at this end of the ramparts.  I believe I shall spend the rest of the evening here, where no one can follow us.”

“Haven’t you any more partners?” asked Herne.

She showed him a full card with a little grimace.

“I have had such an awful experience.  I am going to cut the rest.”

He smiled a little.

“Rather hard on the rest.  However——­”

“Oh, don’t be silly!” she said impatiently.  “It isn’t like you.”

“No,” said Herne.

He spoke quietly, almost as if he were thinking of something else.  They had passed through the stone doorway, and had emerged upon a flagged passage that led between stone walls to the ramparts.  Betty passed along this quickly, mounted the last flight of steps that led to the battlements, and stood suddenly still.

A marvellous scene lay spread below them in the moonlight—­silent land and whispering sea.  The music of the band in the distant ballroom rose fitfully—­such music as is heard in dreams.  Betty stood quite motionless with the moonlight shining on her face.  She looked like a nymph caught up from the shimmering water.

Impulsively at length she turned to the man beside her.