alled again.

By this time he had, to some extent, changed his plans. Neither
Australia nor New Zealand would be his destination. He had taken his
passage in a vessel bound for Pernambuco, and a very short time remained
to him in England. He was glad to think that he should see Dino before
he went.

He found the young man greatly altered: his eyes gleamed in orbits of
purple shadow: his face was white and wasted. But the greatest change of
all lay in this--that there was no smile upon his lips, no pleasure in
his eyes, when he saw Brian draw near his bed.

"Dino!" said Brian, holding out his hand. "How did you come here, amico
mio?" And then he noticed the absence of any welcoming word or gesture
on Dino's part. The large dark eyes were bent upon him questioningly,
and yet with a proud reserve in their shadowy depths. And the
blue-veined hands locked themselves together upon the coverlet instead
of returning Brian's friendly grasp.

"Why have you come?" said Dino, in a loud whisper. "What do you want?"

"I want nothing save to ask how you are and to see you again," replied
Brian, after a pause of astonishment.

"If you want to alter your decision it is not yet too late. I have taken
no steps towards the claiming of my rights."

"His mind must be wandering," thought Brian to himself. He added aloud
in a soothing tone, "I have made no decision about anything, Dino. Can I
do anything for you?"

Dino looked at him long and meditatively. Brian's face expressed some
surprise, but perfect tranquility of mind. He had seated himself at
Dino's bed-side, and was leaning his chin upon his hand and his elbow
upon his crossed knees.

"Why did you make Hugo Luttrell your messenger? Why not come to meet me
yourself as Padre Cristoforo begged you to do?"

Brian shook his head. "I don't think you had better talk, Dino," he
said. "You are feverish, surely. I will come and see you again
to-morrow."

"No, no: answer my question first," said Dino, a slight flush rising to
his thin cheeks. "Why could you not come yourself?"

"When?"

"When! You know."

"Upon my honour, Dino, I don't know what you mean."

"You--you--had a letter from Padre Cristoforo--about me?" said Dino,
stammering with eagerness.

Brian looked guilty. "I was a great fool, Dino," he said, penitently. "I
had a letter from him, and I managed to lose it before I had read more
than the first sheet, in which there was nothing about you. I suppose he
told me