have them found idle.

"Ah, Phelim," she said, "you are more than prompt; you never keep one
waiting," and she began to play very softly.

The earl was embarrassed. Despite his crime, he still had breeding left
him, and he felt compelled to make his presence known. He knocked again.

"Don't interrupt me, Phelim," she said; "this is my swan-song; listen;"
and she began to sing. She sang bravely, at first, with her head held
high, and then, suddenly, her voice began to falter.

"Ah, Phelim, dear," she cried, "I've lost my love! I've lost my love!"
and she put her hands to her face and fell to sobbing.

"Nora!" said the earl. It was the first word he had spoken, and she
raised her head, startled.

"Here is the cup, Nora," he said.

She sprang to her feet and turned to him, tears on her cheeks, but a
light in her eyes such as he had never seen.

"Oh, my love," she cried, "I should have known you'd bring it."

"Yes," he said, "you should have known."

She stood, blushing, radiant, eager, waiting.

He stood in the doorway, pale, quiet, his arms at his side, the cup in
his hand.

"Nora," he said, "I've brought you the cup, but I do not dare to give it
to you. I stole it."

"What?" she cried, running toward him. She stopped suddenly and began to
laugh--a pitiful little laugh, pitched in an unnatural key. "You
shouldn't frighten me like that, Bobby," she said; "it isn't fair."

"It is true," said the earl; "I am a thief."

She looked at him and saw that he was speaking the truth.

"No," she cried, "'tis I am the thief, not you. The cardinal warned me
that I was compelling you to this, and I laughed at him. I thought that
you would achieve the cup, if you cared for me; that you would render
some service to the State and claim it as your reward--that you would
make a fortune, and buy it--that you would make friends at the
Vatican--that you would build churches, found hospitals, that even the
Holy Father might ask you to name something within his gift--I thought
of a thousand schemes, such as one reads of--but I never thought you
would take it. No, no; I never thought that."

"Nora," said the earl, "I didn't know how to do any of those things, and
I didn't have time to learn."

"I would have waited for you, always," she said.

"I didn't know that," said the earl.

"I hoped you didn't," said Lady Nora. "Come!" and she sprang through the
door. The earl followed her. They ran up the companion-way, across the