ve with each other.

"Yes," said the girl. "Mother promised to spend Easter in Florence.
I've never been there and am looking forward to it so much. The Marchesa
Ruggeri, whom we met at Harrogate last summer, has a villa there,
and has invited us for Easter. But mother said this morning that she
preferred to remain here."

"Why?"

"Oh! Somebody in the hotel has put her off. An old Englishwoman who
lives in Florence told her that there's nothing to see beyond the
Galleries, and that the place is very catty."

Hugh laughed and replied:

"All British colonies in Continental cities are catty, my dear Dorise.
They say that for scandal Florence takes the palm. I went there for two
seasons in succession before the war, and found the place delightful."

"The Marchesa is a charming woman. Her husband was an attache at the
Italian Embassy in Paris. But he has been transferred to Washington, so
she has gone back to Florence. I like her immensely, and I do so want to
visit her."

"Oh, you must persuade your mother to take you," he said. "She'll be
easily persuaded."

"I don't know. She doesn't like travelling in Italy. She once had her
dressing-case stolen from the train between Milan and Genoa, so she's
always horribly bitter against all Italians."

"There are thieves also on English railways, Dorise," Hugh remarked.
"People are far too prone to exaggerate the shortcomings of foreigners,
and close their eyes to the faults of the British."

"But everybody is not so cosmopolitan as you are, Hugh," the girl
laughed, raising her eyes to those of her lover.

"No," he replied with a sigh.

"Why do you sigh?" asked the girl, having noticed a change in her
companion ever since they had met in the Rooms. He seemed strangely
thoughtful and preoccupied.

"Did I?" he asked, suddenly pulling himself together. "I didn't know,"
he added with a forced laugh.

"You don't look yourself to-day, Hugh," she said.

"I've been told that once before," he replied. "The weather--I think!
Are you going over to the _bal blanc_ at Nice to-night?"

"Of course. And you are coming also. Hasn't mother asked you?" she
inquired in surprise.

"No."

"How silly! She must have forgotten. She told me she intended to ask you
to have a seat in the car. The Comte d'Autun is coming with us."

"Ah! He admires you, Dorise, hence I don't like him," Hugh blurted
forth.

"But, surely, you're not jealous, you dear old thing!" laughed the girl,
tantali