Listlessly she abandoned her hand to him, listening all the time to the footsteps outside, hearing Hallam's low murmur; heard him lightly venturing to hint of future happiness, not heeding him, attentive only to the footsteps outside.
"Private Berk--Ormond--" she calmly corrected herself--"has had no supper, has he ?" "Neither have I!" laughed Hallam.

And Ailsa rose up, scarlet with annoyance, and called to a negro who was evidently bound kitchenward.
And half an hour later some supper was brought to Hallam; and the negro went out into the star-lit court to summon Berkley to the kitchen.
Ailsa, leaving Hallam to his supper, and wandering aimlessly through the rear gallery, encountered Letty coming from the kitchen.
"My trooper," said the girl, pink and happy, "is going to have _such_ a good supper! You know who I mean, dear--that Mr.
Ormond----" "I remember him," said Ailsa steadily.

"I thought his name was Berkley." "It is Ormond," said Letty in a low voice.
"Then I misunderstood.

Is he here again ?" "Yes," ventured Letty, smiling; "he is escort to--your Captain." Ailsa's expression was wintry.

Letty, still smiling out of her velvet eyes, looked up confidently into Ailsa's face.
"Dear," she said, "I wish you could ever know how nice he is.