s so nice of you to think of a priest, Ethel dear! I'm so
grateful! But when is he coming?"

"Soon, I hope. But _do_ try not to talk so."

"But I'm only whispering."

"Yes, but your whispers are too loud, and I'm afraid they'll hear."

"Well, I'll try to keep still; but it's so _awfully_ hard, you know,
when one has _so_ much to say, Ethel dear."

Minnie now remained silent for about five minutes.

"How did you say you were going to take me away?" she asked at length.

"In disguise," said Ethel.

"But _what_ disguise?"

"In an old woman's dress--but hu-s-s-s-sh!"

"But I don't _want_ to be dressed up in an old woman's clothes; they
make me _such_ a figure. Why, I'd be a perfect fright."

"Hu-s-s-s-sh! Dear, dear Minnie, you're talking too loud. They'll
certainly hear us," said Ethel, in a low, frightened whisper.

"But _do_--_do_ promise you won't take me in an old woman's clothes!"

"Oh, there--there it is again!" said Ethel. "Dear, dear Minnie,
there's some one listening."

"Well, I don't see what harm there is in what I'm saying. I only
wanted--"

Here there was a movement on the stairs just outside. Ethel had heard
a sound of that kind two or three times, and it had given her alarm;
but now Minnie herself heard it, and stopped speaking.

And now a voice sounded from the stairs. Some Italian words were
spoken, and seemed to be addressed to them. Of course they could make
no reply. The words were repeated, with others, and the speaker seemed
to be impatient. Suddenly it flashed across Ethel's mind that the
speaker was Girasole, and that the words were addressed to her.

Her impression was correct, and the speaker was Girasole. He had heard
the sibilant sounds of the whispering, and, knowing that Minnie could
not speak Italian, it had struck him as being a very singular thing
that she should be whispering. Had her sister joined her? He thought
he would go up and see. So he went up softly, and the whispering still
went on. He therefore concluded that the "Italian woman" was not doing
her duty, and that Mrs. Willoughby had joined her sister. This he
would not allow; but as he had already been sufficiently harsh he did
not wish to be more so, and therefore he called to the "Italian
woman."

"Hallo, you woman there! didn't I tell you not to let the ladies speak
to one another?"

Of course no answer was given, so Girasole grew more angry still, and
cried out again, more imperatively:

"Why do you n