? Curiosity soon collected a little crowd
of idlers, who came clustering round Amanda, plying her with questions
as to the meaning of it all.

Never in her life before had she been the object of so many inquisitive
looks and eager questionings, and she was thoroughly frightened, whilst
her father, himself speechless from bewilderment, was powerless to
answer for her. At that moment Mansana came up, and making his way
through the bystanders, with an air of quiet authority, offered her his
arm. Thankfully she allowed him to lead her away from the gaping crowd,
and her father gladly followed them. Mansana waited till they were out
of earshot, then, turning to his companions, remarked: "I feel it my
duty to inform you that your kinsman, Lieutenant Borghi, is a
profligate, and I intend to see that he receives the chastisement he
merits."

It was startling to Amanda to be told not only that Luigi was a
profligate--though her notions as to the meaning of the term were
somewhat vague--but also that he was to receive castigation for some
offence of which she was ignorant.

For once she allowed her eyes to open to their full extent, as, with a
vain hope of gathering information, she kept them firmly fixed upon
Mansana's.

Her lips were parted as in surprise; an uncontrollable curiosity had
broken through her fears. He saw this clearly, and, angry as he had
lately been, he could not resist a smile at her simple innocence and at
the curious charm and beauty of her expression. And so, restored
suddenly to good humour, Mansana gave way to a feeling of amusement at
the old man, who stood looking for all the world like a half-frightened
schoolboy listening to ghost stories in the dusk.

Anxious to show that he was thoroughly alive to the realities of the
situation, he expressed a gratitude which culminated in an invitation
to Mansana to accompany them home; and this Mansana accepted.
Amanda--still half afraid lest something dreadful was about to
happen--tried to disarm him by the smiling confidence with which she
clung to him.

He began to have a suspicion of her motive, and was amused, but this
feeling wore away as he listened to the rippling melody of her laughing
voice, as he looked at the sweet, rosy, dimpled mouth, and the clear,
mystic, playful eyes peeping from their half-closed lids. He gave
himself up to the charm of her whole personality, and to the joy of
feeling that this innocent, fresh creature was living, breathi