iding me."

"The reason is plain enough," murmured Ethel. "He wishes to prevent
you from speaking about a painful subject, or at least a distasteful
one. He keeps you off at a distance by an excess of formality. He will
give you no opportunity whatever to introduce any mention of me. And
now let me also ask you this--does he ever take any notice of any
allusion that may be made to me?"

"I really don't remember hearing any allusion to you."

"Oh, that's scarcely possible! You and Minnie must sometimes have
alluded to 'Ethel.'"

"Well, now that you put it in that light, I do remember hearing Minnie
allude to you on several occasions. Once she wondered why 'Ethel' did
not ride. Again she remarked how 'Ethel' would enjoy a particular
view."

"And he heard it?"

"Oh, of course."

"Then there is not a shadow of a doubt left. He knows I am here. He
has forgotten me so totally, and is so completely indifferent, that he
comes here and pays attention to another who is in the very same house
with me. It is hard. Oh, Kitty, is it not? Is it not bitter? How could
I have thought this of _him_?"

A high-hearted girl was Ethel, and a proud one; but at this final
confirmation of her worst fears there burst from her a sharp cry, and
she buried her face in her hands, and moaned and wept.

CHAPTER XII.

GIRASOLE AGAIN.

One day Mrs. Willoughby and Minnie were out driving. Hawbury was
riding by the carriage on the side next Minnie, when suddenly their
attention was arrested by a gentleman on horseback who was approaching
them at an easy pace, and staring hard at them. Minnie's hand suddenly
grasped her sister's arm very tightly, while her color came and went
rapidly.

"Oh dear!" sighed Mrs. Willoughby.

"Oh, what _shall_ I do?" said Minnie, in a hasty whisper. "Can't we
pretend not to see him?"

"Nonsense, you little goose," was the reply. "How can you think of
such rudeness?"

By this time the gentleman had reached them, and Mrs. Willoughby
stopped the carriage, and spoke to him in a tone of gracious suavity,
in which there was a sufficient recognition of his claims upon her
attention, mingled with a slight hauteur that was intended to act as a
check upon his Italian demonstrativeness.

For it was no other than the Count Girasole, and his eyes glowed with
excitement and delight, and his hat was off and as far away from his
head as possible, and a thousand emotions contended together for
expression upon his