“This is wonderful, wonderful,” I repeated as I happened to meet Elaine alone.  We walked into the conservatory while the guests were crowding around Long Sin.  She seated herself for the first time during the evening.

“May I get you an ice?” I suggested.

She thanked me, and I hurried off.  As I passed through the drawing-room I did not notice that Long Sin had managed to escape further congratulations of the guests.  Just then a waiter passed through with ices on a tray.  I called to him and he stopped.

A moment later Long Sin himself took an ice from the tray and retreated back of the portieres.  No one was about, and he hastily drew a bottle from his pocket.  On the bottle was a Chinese label.  He palmed the bottle, and any one who had chanced to see him would have noticed that he passed it two or three times over the ice, then, lifting the portieres, entered the drawing-room again.

He had made the circuit of the rooms in such a way as to bring himself out directly in my path.  With a smile he stopped before me, rubbing both hands together.

“It is for Miss Elaine?” he asked.

I nodded.

By this time several of the guests who were fascinated with Long Sin gathered about us.  Long Sin fluttered open a Chinese fan which he had used in his tricks, passed it over my hand, and in some incomprehensible way I felt the plate with the ice literally disappear from my grasp.  My face must have shown my surprise.  A burst of laughter from the other guests greeted me.  I looked at Long Sin, half angry, yet unable to say anything, for the joke was plainly on me.  He smiled, made another pass with the fan, and instantly the plate with the ice was back in my hand.

There was nothing for me but to take the joke in the spirit in which the other guests had taken it.  I laughed with them and managed to get away.

Meanwhile Kennedy had been moving from one to another of the guests seeking Elaine.  He had already taken an ice from the waiter and was going in the direction of the conservatory.  There he found her.

“Won’t you take this ice?” he asked, handing it to her.

“It is very kind of you,” she said, “but I have already sent Walter for one.”

Kennedy insisted and she took it.

She had already started to eat it when I appeared in the doorway.  I was rather vexed at Long Sin for having delayed me, and I mumbled something about it.

Kennedy laughed, rather pleased at having beaten me.

“Never mind, Walter,” he said with a smile, “I’ll take it.  And er--I don’t think that Elaine will object if you play the host for a little while with Aunt Josephine,” he hinted.

I saw that three was a crowd and I turned to retrace my steps to the drawing-room.

Kennedy, however, was not alone.  Back of the palms in the conservatory two beady black eyes were eagerly watching.  Long Sin had noted every movement as his cleverly laid plan miscarried.