raising his hat, wished the pair: _"Buon giorno!"_

The girl's companion returned the salute with a slight expression of
annoyance, perhaps at being recognized, but the girl took no notice,
and did not acknowledge him.

The man uttered some words in the girl's ear, and then hurried her on
more quickly, at the same time glancing furtively around. It was quite
plain that he had no wish to be seen there, hence my curiosity became
increased.

Every moment I, however, feared that he might realize I was following
them; but I did not mean that they should escape me.

In the Piazza della Signorina they halted opposite that great old
prison-like building, the Palazzo Vecchio, where several people were
awaiting an omnibus, and as they stood there the girl, who bore such a
striking resemblance to the dead niece of the millionaire, stared
straight before her, taking no notice of anything about her, a
strange, statuesque, pathetic figure, inert and entirely guided by the
ferret-eyed man at her side.

I was compelled to draw back and watch them from a distance, hoping
that I might be successful in following them to their destination. It
certainly was strange that the girl who was so much like Gabrielle
Engledue should be there in Florence, within a mile or two of De Gex's
villa!

As I watched, yet another person--a well-dressed woman of about
forty--recognizing the girl's companion, smiled as she passed, while
he, on his part, raised his hat. The woman who had passed struck me as
being either English or American, for there are many English-speaking
residents in Florence. For a second I debated within myself, and then
a moment later I followed her until she turned a corner in the Via di
Porta Rossa. Then I hurried, and overtaking her politely raised my
hat.

"I trust you will pardon me, Madame," I exclaimed in English, as she
started and looked at me askance. "I presume you are either English or
American?"

"I am American," she replied with a pronounced drawl.

"Please forgive my inquisitiveness, but I seek your aid in a little
matter which is of greatest consequence to me," I went on. "A moment
ago, as you crossed the Piazza, you encountered an Italian gentleman
and a girl. Could you tell me the gentleman's name?"

"What, the person I bowed to a moment ago?" she exclaimed. "Oh! that's
Doctor Moroni."

Moroni! I recollected the name. He was one of the mourners!

"And the girl?" I asked.

"Ah! I do not know. I saw he