'Come, Ethel, I must, I really must, you know.' "She turned for an instant as she said this, and I saw the glory of her child-face as it was irradiated by a smile of exquisite sweetness.
The play of feature, the light of her eyes, and the expression of innocence and ignorance unconscious of danger, filled me with profound sadness.

And there was I, standing alone, seeing that sweet child flinging herself to ruin, and yet unable to prevent her, simply because I was bound hand and foot by the infernal restrictions of a miserable and a senseless conventionality.

Dash it, I say!" As Dacres growled out this Hawbury elevated his eyebrows, and stroked his long, pendent whiskers lazily with his left hand, while with his right he drummed on the table near him.
"Well," resumed Dacres, "the child-angel ran up for some distance, leaving Ethel behind.

Ethel called after her for some time, and then began to follow her up.

Meanwhile the guides, who had thus far stood apart, suddenly caught sight of the child-angel's figure, and, with a loud warning cry, they ran after her.