were of a different order of being
which the sad eyes were not fitted to see.

As the procession defiled upon the main road, at the foot of the mule
path it paused a moment. Though the mourners did not see him, Vanno took
off his hat and stood with it held rather high above his head, in his
right hand, as is the custom with all Latin men for the passing of a
funeral. The driver of a landau that climbed the hill, and a chauffeur
driving an automobile down toward the lower Corniche, paid the same
reverence to the little coffin, giving right of way to the procession
before moving on. The funeral turned in the direction of Roquebrune, and
Mary and Vanno guessed that it was going to the church there, and the
cure. But in the landau which had waited was a pretty young bride and a
tall-hatted bridegroom, with bridesmaid and "best man." They were
evidently beginning the honeymoon, which would consist of a long drive
in wedding finery and flowers, then a dinner, and perhaps the grand
_finale_ of a dance. At sight of the funeral coming out from the mule
path and passing directly in front of their horses, the bride let fall
her huge bouquet, and regardless of tulle veil and fluffy laces, cast
herself into her husband's arms, hiding her face on his shoulder.

"_Quel mauvais signe!_" muttered the driver, as he put on his much
paraffined silk hat, settled his wedding _boutonniere_ in its place, and
drove on at a trot.

Mary looked up at Vanno without speaking, but her eyes, saddened by the
sorrow of others, asked a question.

"'In the midst of life!'" Vanno quoted. "But it is not a bad sign for us
or for any one. And even if we were superstitious, we saw the wedding
_last_."

XXX

Vanno's "surprise" for Mary was a beautiful piece of land which he
wanted to buy for her, in order to have a home where they might come
sometimes, and spend a few weeks alone together in the country where
they had first met and loved each other.

The ground that he had set his heart upon was close to the cure's
garden, and it belonged to Achille Gonzales. Already, at Vanno's
request, the cure had interviewed both Achille and the older Gonzales.
An appointment had been made for three o'clock, and the cure was to have
introduced the two rich peasants, father and son, to the Prince; but
owing to the procession which Vanno and Mary had seen, he was not able
to keep his engagement. And rather strangely, Mary's host had been
prevented by much th