tell you."

Helen looked up quickly.

"Something to tell me--something good?"

"I'm so happy! I'm engaged at last."

"To Wilbur, of course?"

"Yes."

Helen gave an exclamation of joy.

"Oh, I'm so glad. When did it happen? Tell me all about it--quick."

"He proposed to-day, and I said yes. We're to be married in two
months."

The next moment the two women were in each other's arms.

"I'm so glad--so glad," murmured Helen. "I hope you'll both be very,
very happy."

"We certainly shall if we are like you and Kenneth. Wilbur says that
your example is the one thing that decided him to make the plunge."

Helen smiled.

"You'll have one advantage I don't enjoy. Your husband, being a
lawyer, won't be taking trips to South Africa all the time."

"Oh, I don't know," laughed the girl; "it's sometimes nice to lose
sight of each other for a time. The lovemaking is all the more furious
when your husband gets back."

"Yes--unless he happens to meet some other charmer on his travels."

"Oh, nonsense, Helen--men don't really have such adventures. That only
happens in novels."

"I hope so," murmured her sister.

"Oh, by the bye," exclaimed Ray, "who do you suppose we saw on the
dock?"

"Who?"

"That horrid creature--Signor Keralio."

Helen looked up in surprise.

"Keralio? What was he doing there? Did he speak to you?"

"No--he seemed to avoid us. Once I got lost for a moment in the crush,
and, as I turned, I thought I saw him talking earnestly to Kenneth and
Francois. Of course I must have been mistaken, for, when I finally
rejoined them, both denied having seen him!"

"Keralio!" murmured Helen. "How strange! That man seems to pursue us
like some evil genius. No matter where we go, he follows like a
shadow. Oh, I forgot all about Francois. Where is he?"

"Downstairs."

Helen touched a bell.

"Why do you need him?"

"Kenneth wants him. I forgot all about it. All his things need
putting away. The litter upstairs is simply terrible."

"There won't be much time for unpacking," objected Ray. "It's
half-past five already. We'll soon have to think of dressing for
dinner."

Suddenly the door opened and Francois appeared. He entered quietly,
stealthily, and, advancing to where his mistress was, stood in silence,
awaiting her orders.

"Your master wants you upstairs, Francois."

The man bowed.

"_Bien_, madame!"

"Tell Mr. Traynor not to keep you too long, because there's