tween his eyes and hers.

"I'm so sorry: it's been a long day for you," he said absently, pressing
his lips to her hands

She felt the dreaded twitch in her throat.

"Nick!" she burst out, tightening her embrace, "before I go, you've got
to swear to me on your honour that you know I should never have taken
those cigars for myself!"

For a moment he stared at her, and she stared back at him with equal
gravity; then the same irresistible mirth welled up in both, and Susy's
compunctions were swept away on a gale of laughter.

When she woke the next morning the sun was pouring in between her
curtains of old brocade, and its refraction from the ripples of the
Canal was drawing a network of golden scales across the vaulted ceiling.
The maid had just placed a tray on a slim marquetry table near the bed,
and over the edge of the tray Susy discovered the small serious face
of Clarissa Vanderlyn. At the sight of the little girl all her dormant
qualms awoke.

Clarissa was just eight, and small for her age: her little round chin
was barely on a level with the tea-service, and her clear brown eyes
gazed at Susy between the ribs of the toast-rack and the single tea-rose
in an old Murano glass. Susy had not seen her for two years, and she
seemed, in the interval, to have passed from a thoughtful infancy to
complete ripeness of feminine experience. She was looking with approval
at her mother's guest.

"I'm so glad you've come," she said in a small sweet voice. "I like you
so very much. I know I'm not to be often with you; but at least you'll
have an eye on me, won't you?"

"An eye on you! I shall never want to have it off you, if you say such
nice things to me!" Susy laughed, leaning from her pillows to draw the
little girl up to her side.

Clarissa smiled and settled herself down comfortably on the silken
bedspread. "Oh, I know I'm not to be always about, because you're just
married; but could you see to it that I have my meals regularly?"

"Why, you poor darling! Don't you always?"

"Not when mother's away on these cures. The servants don't always obey
me: you see I'm so little for my age. In a few years, of course, they'll
have to--even if I don't grow much," she added judiciously. She put out
her hand and touched the string of pearls about Susy's throat. "They're
small, but they're very good. I suppose you don't take the others when
you travel?"

"The others? Bless you! I haven't any others--and never shall have,
pr