Emboldened by his twinkling eyes, his crooked, friendly
smile, eager to question him, I drew nearer. He stretched out his
hand, and slipped into mine the half of a broken coin.
CHAPTER XV
THE HEART OF HYNDS HOUSE
I stood staring at the broken coin in my hand with a sort of
stupefaction, while The Jinnee moved slowly away from the window. I
had received a summons I could not ignore. Had I not promised,
smilingly indeed, but sincerely, to answer that call whenever and
however it should come?
The music had ceased for the moment, and the big hall was quite
empty, for the dancers had trooped into the dining-room, from which
came laughter and chattering voices, and the chink of silver and
china. The great front doors were wide open. I slipped unseen into
the darkly bright, whispering night.
The moon was high in the heavens, for it was past midnight; the wind
was chill upon my shoulders, the dew silvery under my feet. There
was an odor abroad--the ineffable odor of sleepily stirring spring,
of young new leaves budding, of tender grass, growing like a baby's
hair.
At some distance ahead I could just distinguish the dark figure of
the messenger, flitting soundless as a shadow.
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