s sensitive being seemed
struggling to accept the gift of beauty before her, almost too great to
grasp.

"After this," she said half aloud, her far glance resting on Rome in
the hazy distance, "anything is possible."

"I don't seem real," she added, touching her left hand with the
forefinger of her right. "It is Italy, ITALY, and that is Rome. Can
all this exist within two weeks of the rush and jangle of Broadway?"

There was no answer, and she half closed her eyes, intoxicated with
beauty.

A live thing darted across her foot, and she looked down to catch a
glimpse of something like a slender green flame licking its way through
the grass.

"Lizards crawling over me unrebuked," she said smiling. "Perhaps the
millenium has come."

She picked two grass blades and a single fern.

"They aren't real, you know," she said, addressing herself. "This is
all too good to be true. It will fold up in a minute and move away for
the next act, and that will be full of tragedy, with an ugly
background."

The heights still invited. She rose, and wandered on and up. Her step
had the quick movement of a dweller in cities, not the slow pace of
those who linger along country roads, keeping step with nature. In the
cut and fashion of her gown was evinced a sophistication, and a high
seriousness, possibly not her own.

She watched the deep imprint that her footsteps made in the soft grass.

"I'm half afraid to step on the earth here," she murmured to herself.
"It seems to be quivering with old life."

The sun hung lower in the west. Of its level golden beams were born a
thousand shades of color on the heights and in the hollows of the
hills. Over all the great Campagna blue, yellow, and purple blended in
an autumn haze.

"Oh!" cried the girl, throwing out her arms to take in the new sense of
life that came flooding in upon her. "I cannot take it in. It is too
great."

As she climbed, a strength springing from sheer delight in the wide
beauty before her came into her face.

"It was selfish, and I am going to take it back. To-night I will write
and say so. I could face anything now."

This hill, and then the side of that; one more gate, then Daphne turned
for another look at Rome and the sea. Rome and the sea were gone.
Here was a great olive orchard, there a pasture touching the sky, but
where was anything belonging to her? Somewhere on the hills a lamb was
bleating, and near the crickets chirped. Yes, it was