hat she had entered.

Nina poured out the whole story. The one clear idea that she had in mind
was to leave Rome at once. She wanted to go away! Above all, she wanted
to go away! She was by this time quite hysterical.

The princess's coolness gradually dominated as she said finally: "The
thing is incredible--you must have misunderstood. I don't know what the
explanation is, myself, but the worst blunder we can make is to judge
too hastily. I am sure it will come out differently than it seems, if
you will but have patience."

Savagely Nina turned on her. "Are you against me? _You_, auntie! Do you
side with him? And that Potensi?"

With an expression more troubled than angry, the princess answered
gently, "Of course, my child, I don't side against you--but I can't
believe that they were really as you thought they were."

A sudden violent knocking interrupted, and at the same moment Sansevero,
who had been looking for his wife everywhere, rushed in, quite beside
himself, with the announcement that Scorpa was dead. The Sanseveros had
for some days known the cause of his illness, and the doctor who had
been at the duel had kept them informed of his condition. Now there was
not a minute to lose! The news of the duke's death had not yet been
made public, but Giovanni must be got out of the country at once, or
there would be trouble! A train would go north in an hour, and the
prince and princess hurried off to complete the arrangements for
Giovanni's departure.

Left alone in her room and to her own thoughts, Nina's anger gradually
lessened. Giovanni's danger, and his having to be taken away so weak and
ill, appealed to her humanity and helped to soften her resentment.
Whether it had been for love of her or not, it was on her account that
he had been placed in his present unfortunate situation. He was going
out of her life--it was not likely that she would ever see him
again--but it took an hour or two's turning of the subject over in her
thoughts before she came to the conclusion that, instead of being
resentful, she ought to be thankful for her escape. She had finally
reached this frame of mind when there was a knock at the door.

"May I come in, my dear?" Zoya Olisco entered as she spoke. She stood a
second on the threshold, then, closing the door after her, crossed the
room quickly and, taking Nina's face between her hands, looked at her
with a half-quizzical grimace. "You silly little cat," she said softly,
"surely