rried in the pocket of his
blue cloth breeches.

He was certainly mistaken about the baby's eyes, which were remarkably
beautiful and of a very soft brown; whereas Dalrymple's were hard, blue,
and steely, and it was not possible that anything like an hereditary
expression should be recognizable in the face of a child three weeks
old. But his growing conviction made his imagination complete every link
which chanced to be missing in the chain.

One day, in the spring, he met Griggs when the latter was going out
alone.

"A word, Signore, if you permit," he said politely.

"Twenty," replied Griggs, giving the common Roman answer.

"Signore, Subiaco is a beautiful place," said the peasant. "In spring it
is an enchantment. In summer, I tell you nothing. It is as fresh as
Paradise. There is water, water, as much as you please. Wine is not
wanting, and it seems that you know that. The butcher kills calves twice
a week, and sometimes an ox when there is an old one, or one lame. Eh,
in Subiaco, one is well."

"I do not doubt it when I look at you," answered Griggs, without a
smile.

"Thanks be to Heaven, my health still assists me. But I am thinking of
you and of your beautiful lady and of that little angel, whom God
preserve. In truth, you appear to me as the Holy Family. I should not
say it to every one, but the air of Subiaco is thin, the water is light,
and, for a house, mine is of the better ones. One knows that we are
country people, but we are clean people; there are neither chickens nor
children. If you find a flea, I will have him set in gold. You shall
say, 'This is the flea that was found in Stefanone's house.' In that way
every one will know. I do not speak of the beds. The pope could sleep in
the one in the large room at the head of the staircase, the pope with
all his cardinals. They would say, 'Now we know that this is indeed a
bed.' Do you wish better than this? I do not know. But if you will bring
your lady and the baby, you will see. Eyes tell no lies."

"And the price?" inquired Griggs, struck by the good sense of the
suggestion.

"Whatever you choose to give. If you give nothing, we shall have had
your company. In general, we take three pauls a day, and we give the
wine. You shall make the price as you like it. Who thinks of these
things? We are Christians."

When Griggs spoke of the project to Gloria, she embraced it eagerly. He
said that he should be obliged to come to Rome every week on account