lift the rose to his face, feigning to
scent it while he kissed it. He had seen quick glances, quivering lips
that half-whispered, half-kissed; he had seen the wireless telegraphy of
love flashing messages which youth thinks are in cipher, known only to
the sender and the recipient; and he, while laughing, had tapped the
wire and read the correspondence.

"It is all over," he said to himself. "They are in love. The little
naked boy with the bow has hit them both."

Promptly at nine, Pietro announced the barca. The cardinal made his
adieus. "My lord," he said to the earl, "if you are for the shore, I
should be honored by your company."

"Thank you," said the earl, "but I ordered my gondola at ten."

Lady Nora and the earl stood watching the cardinal's lantern as it sped
toward Venice. It was soon lost in the night. Lady Nora's hand rested
upon the rail. The earl covered it with his own. She did not move.

"Have you bought the cup, Bobby," she asked.

"Not yet," he answered, "but I shall have it. The treasury is closed for
the annual cleaning."

"When you bring it," she said, "you will find me here. I should like you
to give it me on the Tara. There is your gondola light. Aunt Molly seems
to be asleep in her chair. You need not wake her to say good-night."

"I sha'n't," said the earl.

Her hand still rested upon the rail--his hand still covered hers. She
was gazing across the harbor at the countless lights of Venice. The warm
night breeze from the lagoon dimpled the waters of the harbor until the
reflected lights began to tremble. There was no sound, save the tinkle
of the water against the side and the faint cry of a gondolier, in the
distance.

"Bobby," said Lady Nora, finally, "it is nice to be here, just you and
I."

He made a quick motion to take her in his arms, but she started back.
"No, no," she said, "not yet; not till you earn me. There may be many a
slip 'twixt the cup and"--she put her fingers to her lips.

Miss O'Kelly's chin fell upon her topazes so sharply that she wakened
with a start.

"Nora, darlin'?" she cried, looking about her.

"Here I am," said Lady Nora, coming into the light.

"Ah," said her aunt, "and Lord Robert, too. I thought he had gone. I
must have had forty winks."

"I was only waiting," said the earl, "to bid you good-night."

"An Irishman," said Miss O'Kelly, "would have taken advantage of me
slumbers, and would have kissed me hand."

"An Englishman will do it when