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As Mrs. Hadley-Smith, fleeing alone, came through the doorway with both her arms outstretched to fend off possible collisions, a sharp low whisper spoken right alongside of her made her halt. The whisperer was her cousin. Unobserved by the madame and unheard by any one else, Miss Smith spoke a word or two in her cousin’s ear. The next instant almost Mrs. Hadley-Smith, apparently becoming confused as to the direction from which the sounds of bells approached, hesitated in indecision and was fairly trapped by the pursuer.

“Who’s caught? Who’s caught?” cried several together.

“You’re not supposed to know–that makes the fun all the better,” cried Miss Smith. “You may halt a bit to get your breath, but nobody is to touch his or her blindfold.”

“I’m sure you took pity on me and let me tag you,” said Madame Ybanca in an undertone to her victim as Miss Smith, deftly freeing the younger woman’s hands, proceeded to bind the hostess’ wrists at her back.

“Not at all,” replied Mrs. Hadley-Smith, also under her breath. “I was stupid or awkward or perhaps both at once–that’s all.”

A moment later when the collar of bells had been shifted to the new wearer’s shoulders, the madame, covering up her own eyes, moved away to join the ranks of the blindfolded.

Before taking up the chase Mrs. Hadley-Smith cast a quick look toward her cousin and the cousin replied with a nod and a significant glance toward a certain quarter of the same room in which they stood. Raising her eyebrows to show she understood the widow moved toward the place that had been indicated. From her path the gaily clad figures retreated, eddying and tacking in uncertain flight away from the jingle of the bells.

Had any third person there had the use of his or her eyes that person would have witnessed now a strange bit of byplay and–given a fair share of perception–would have realised that something more important than a petty triumph in the playing of a game was afoot. Having vision this third person would have seen how Mrs. Hadley-Smith, disregarding easier chances to make a capture, strove with all her power to touch one particular chosen quarry; would have seen how twice, by a quick twist of a graceful young body, the hunted one eluded those two tied hands outthrust to seize her; how at the third time of trying the huntress scored a victory and laid detaining hold upon a fold of the fugitive’s costume; and how at this Miss Smith, so eagerly watching the chase, gave a gesture of assent and satisfaction over a thing accomplished, as she hurried toward the pair of them to render her self-appointed service upon the winner and the loser.

But having for the moment no eyes with which to see, no third person there witnessed these little interludes of stratagem and design, though it was by no means hard for them to sense that again a coup had been scored. What they did not know was that the newest victim was Evelyn Ballister.

“Oh, somebody else has been nabbed! Goody! Goody! I’m glad I got away,” shouted Miss Vane, who was by nature exuberant and of a high spirit. “I wonder who it is now?” She threw back her head, endeavouring to peep out along her tilted nose. “I hope it’s a man this time. It’s more exciting–being pursued by a man.”

“Don’t forget–no one is to look,” warned Miss Smith as keeper of the rules. “It would spoil the sport if you knew who’ll be pursuing you next.”

Already she had stripped the blindfold from about Miss Ballister’s head and with a quick jerk at the master knot had freed her cousin from bondage. With flirting motions she twisted the folded kerchief into a rope. Practice in the work seemed to have given to her added deftness and speed, for in no more time than it takes to tell of it she had drawn Miss Ballister’s smooth arms round behind their owner’s back and was busied at the next step of her offices. Almost it seemed the girl surrendered reluctantly, as though she were loath to go through with the role that had fallen to her by penalty of being tagged. But if Miss Smith felt unwillingness in the sudden rebellious tensing of the limbs she touched, the only response on her part was an added quickness in her fingers as she placed one veined wrist upon the other and with double wraps made them snugly fast.