ests had arrived,
earlier than expected. Afterward Mary often remembered this question of
the Princess' and her own answer.

Americo brought Miss Bland and her friend out to the loggia, which was
the living-room of the family in warm, sunny weather. He announced the
two names with elaborate unintelligibility, but Idina at once introduced
her companion as Miss Jewett of St. Louis. "We met when I was in
America," she explained. "Now she's 'doing' Europe in a few weeks,
cramming in enough sightseeing for an Englishman's year."

"We're very flattered to be included among the sights," Marie said,
smiling, but with something of the "princess" air which--perhaps
unconsciously--she always put on with her husband's cousin. Miss Jewett,
making some polite and formal little answer, gazed with glittering
intentness at her hostess and Mary Grant. Her eyes, in the thin, sallow
face with its pointed chin, were so brilliantly intelligent that they
seemed to have a life and individuality of their own, separate from the
rest of her small body.

"Where's Angelo?" asked Idina, when they had talked for a little while,
and she had apologized for being too early.

"Oh, I'm so sorry he isn't at home!" Marie exclaimed, enjoying the blank
disappointment that dulled Idina's expression. When she had produced her
effect, she added that Angelo would come back in time for luncheon. Miss
Bland turned her face away and looked down at a fountain on the terrace
below the loggia. Fierceness flashed out of her like a knife unsheathed;
but the back of her blond head, with its conventional dressing of the
hair under a neat toque, was almost singularly non-committal.

Marie went on to make conversation about the fox Angelo had gone to see,
laughingly describing the "fauna" of Cap Martin, of which season
visitors knew little. "They say, as soon as everybody's well out of the
way, the most wonderful birds and flowers appear, that only scientific
people can tell anything about," she informed her visitors. Miss Jewett
listened with interest and asked questions; but a curtain seemed to have
been lowered behind Idina's eyes, shutting her mind away from outside
things.

In the yellow drawing-room a clock tinkled out a tune, finishing with
one sharp stroke; and Americo hovered uncertainly at the door-window of
the big hall, seeing that his master was not with the ladies on the
loggia.

"We must wait a few minutes, Americo," Marie said calmly; but at the
same