countenance, with a
tender smile, "what you mean by going about London in a dress which I
thought that you had renounced for ever?"

"It only means," said Dino, returning the smile, "that you were
mistaken. I had not renounced it, and I think that I shall keep to it
now."

"You can hardly do that in your position," said Brian, quietly.

"My position! What is that to me? 'I had rather be a door-keeper in the
house of the Lord'--you know what I mean: I have said it all to you
before. If I go back to Italy, Brian, and the case falls through, as it
may do through lack of witnesses, will you not take your own again?"

"And turn out Miss Murray? Certainly not." Then, after a pause, Brian
asked, rather sternly, "What do you mean by the lack of witnesses? There
are plenty of witnesses. There is--my--my mother--for one."

"No. She is dead."

"Dead. Vincenza Vasari dead?"

Dino recounted to him briefly enough the details of the catastrophe, but
acknowledged, in reply to his quick questions, that there was no
necessity for his claim to be given up on account of the death of these
two persons. Mr. Brett, with whom he had conferred before visiting
Percival Heron, had assured him that there could be no doubt of his
identity with the child whom Mrs. Luttrell had given Vincenza to nurse;
and, knowing the circumstances, he thought it probable that the law-suit
would be an amicable one, and that Miss Murray would consent to a
compromise. All this, Dino repeated, though with some reluctance, to his
friend.

"You see, Brian," he continued, "there will be no reason for your hiding
yourself if my case is proved. You would not be turning out Miss Murray
or anybody else. You would be my friend, my brother, my helper. Will you
not stay in England and be all this to me? I ask you, as I have asked
you many times before, but I ask it now for the last time. Stay with me,
and let it be no secret that you are living still."

"I can't do it, Dino. I must go. You promised not to ask it of me again,
dear old fellow."

"Let me come with you, then. We will both leave Miss Murray to enjoy her
inheritance in peace."

"No, that would not be just."

"Just! What do I care for justice?" said Dino, indignantly, while his
eyes grew dark and his cheeks crimson with passionate feeling. "I care
for you, for her, for the happiness of you both. Can I do nothing
towards it?"

"Nothing, I think, Dino mio."

"But you will stay with me until you go? You