byrinth. I wish him to
recollect me pleasantly, as a whimsical being who came into his life one
night and vanished out of it in two hours."

"But supposing the memory cuts deeply?" ventured Kitty. "Men fall in
love with less excuse than this."

"He does not even know what I look like; he knows absolutely nothing
except the sound of my voice."

"It is all a blind man needs--a voice."

"Nonsense!" La Signorina opened the window to air the room. She
lingered, musing. "You are very good to me, Kitty."

"I can't help being good to you, you strange, lovely woman! For your
sake as well as for mine, I hope my letter from home will be in Venice
when we arrive. Now I am going to write a letter."

La Signorina still lingered by the window.

* * * * *

Merrihew was pocketing currency in exchange for his gold, when Hillard
passed an opened letter to him. It was early in the morning; the sky was
as yellow as brass; patches of dew still dampened the sidewalks, and the
air was still with the promise of heat in the later day. Merrihew
stuffed the last bill into his wallet and gave his attention to the
letter. He was not long indifferent, for the letter was from no less a
person than Kitty. It was, however, addressed to Hillard.

My dear Mr. Hillard--Do not seek us. It will be useless. This
sounds terribly ungrateful, but it must be so. If Mr. Merrihew is
with you, and I suspect he is, tell him that some day I will
explain away the mystery. At present I know no more than you do.
But this please make plain to him: If he insists upon searching for
me, he will only double my unhappiness.

Kitty Killigrew.

Merrihew soberly tucked the letter away. "I knew it," he said simply.
"She is in some trouble or other, some tangle, and fears to drag us into
it. Who left a letter here this morning?" he asked of the concierge.

"A small boy from Villefranche."

"Just my luck," said Merrihew, his hands speaking eloquently. "I said
that it would be of no use to hunt in the smaller towns. Well, we had
better take the luggage back to the rooms."

"Why?" asked Hillard.

"I am going to Villefranche."

"You will be wasting time. After what happened last night, I am certain
that they will be gone. Let us not change our plans, and let us respect
theirs, hard as it may seem to you."

"But you?"

"Oh, don't bother about me. I have relegated my little romance to the
garret of