n
dropped her head.

"Put the man out of your mind, my dear, and all will be well. Probably
he is in the hands of the authorities already. God grant it may be so!
No trouble about his arrest this time! It cannot be complicated by the
danger of scandal. Nobody else's name and character will be concerned in
it. And if it serves to dispose of a dangerous man and a subversive
politician, I am willing to let everything else sleep."

He paused a moment, and then added in his most incisive accents: "But if
not, the law must take its course, and Roma Roselli must complete what
Roma Volonna has begun."

At that moment Felice's dark form stood against the light in the open
door.

"Commendatore Angelelli and Charles Minghelli, Excellency."

As the Baron went back to the drawing-room Roma returned to the window.
Scales of snow adhered to the glass, and it was difficult to see
anything outside. But the masses of shadow and sheets of light were
gone, and the city lay in utter darkness. The sobbing sounds, the
crackle of musketry and the rumble of thunder were all gone, and the air
was empty and void.

At one moment there was a soft patter as of a flock of sheep passing
under the window in the darkness. It was a company of riflemen going at
a quick march over the snow, with torches and lanterns.

Voices came from the next room, and Roma found herself listening.

"Apparently the insurrection is suppressed, your Excellency."

"I congratulate you."

"The soldiers are patrolling the streets, and all is quiet."

"Good!"

"We have some hundreds of rioters in the house of detention, and the
military courts will begin to sit to-morrow morning."

"Excellent!"

"The misadventures have been few and unimportant, the child I spoke of
being the only one killed."

"You have discovered whose child it was?"

"Yes. Unluckily...."

Roma felt dizzy. A thought had flashed upon her.

"It is the child of Donna Roma's man, Bruno Rocco, and apparently...."

A choking cry rang through the room. Was it herself who made it?

"Go on, Commendatore. Apparently...."

"The child was dressed in some carnival costume, and apparently he was
on his way to this house."

Roma's dizziness increased, and to save herself from falling she caught
at a side-table that stood under the bust.

On this table were some sculptor's tools--a chisel and a small mallet,
with which she had been working.

There was an interval in which the voices were deadene