f the Italian. Well,
you will see them for yourself on Sunday, for they are regular
church-goers, though Mr. Jacobi's behaviour during service is not
always edifying. They have seats near us, and it irritates me
dreadfully to see him lounging and yawning while other people are
saying their prayers."

"Does Miss Jacobi lounge too?" in an amused tone.

"No, she behaves far better than her brother. I must confess to you,
Mr. Herrick, that I am rather prejudiced against Mr. Jacobi. I do not
like either his face or his manners; his eyes are too close together,
and this, in my opinion, gives him rather a crafty look; and in manner
he is self-assertive and ostentatious."

"I know what you mean," returned Malcolm with a laugh; "he spells me
and mine with a capital M." Mrs. Godfrey nodded.

"Mrs. Sinclair tells me that the brother and sister are devoted to each
other, but that Miss Jacobi seems to defer to her brother's opinion in
everything. But there, I have told you all I know, and you must find
out the rest for yourself."

"I shall keep my eyes open, I assure you," was Malcolm's reply. And
then he continued in a perplexed tone, "How on earth did Cedric get
hold of them?" But as Mrs. Godfrey could not answer this, Malcolm
allowed the subject to drop. In his case forewarned was forearmed, and
but for his promise to Dinah and his very real concern for Cedric, he
would have given the Jacobis a wide berth.

It was only natural, however, that his curiosity should be strongly
excited by this conversation, and when on the following morning they
took their seats in church, his attention wandered at the sound of
every footstep in the aisle.

The service had commenced before the vacant seats near them were
occupied. Malcolm had a momentary glimpse of a tall, graceful-looking
figure, in soft, diaphanous raiment, that seemed to pass them very
swiftly; he even caught a strange, subtle fragrance that seemed to
linger in the air; and then they all knelt down and Miss Jacobi buried
her face in her hands, and her brother removed his lavender kid gloves
with elaborate care as though Saul Jacobi had nothing in common with
the rest of the miserable sinners. During the rest of the service
Malcolm had plenty of opportunity for studying his physiognomy, for he
turned round more than once and encountered Malcolm's eyes.

He was certainly handsome in his way. His features were good, though of
the pronounced Jewish type; but his dark, brilli