gan bowed to her without a word. He drew the handkerchief from his
breast slowly.

"It is true," said he; "I have no right to it;" and he gave it back. But
his voice showed that he was hurt.

"You do not understand," said she, with a great gentleness. "You have
every right which the truest loyalty can confer. I ask you for this
handkerchief, because I think at times to wear it in memory of a white
stone on which I could safely set my foot, for the stone was not straw."

Wogan could not trust his voice to answer her. He took her hand to lift
it to his lips.

"No," said she; "as at Innspruck, an honest handclasp, if you please."

Wogan joined his three companions in the road, and they stood together
for a little, recounting to one another the incidents of the flight.

"Here's a great work ended," said Gaydon at last.

"We shall be historical," said O'Toole. "It is my one ambition. I want
to figure in the history-books and be a great plague and nuisance to
children at school. I would sooner be cursed daily by schoolboys than
have any number of golden statues in galleries. It means the more solid
reputation;" and then he became silent. Gaydon had, besides his joy at
the rescue of Clementina, a private satisfaction that matters which were
none of his business had had no uncomfortable issue. Misset, too, was
thankful for that his wife had come safely to the journey's end. O'Toole
alone had a weight upon his mind; and when Gaydon said, "Well, we may go
to bed and sleep without alarms till sundown to-morrow," he remarked,--

"There's Jenny. It was on my account she ventured with us."

"That's true," said Wogan; "but we shall put an end to her captivity,
now we are safe at Bologna. I have friends here who can serve me so far,
I have no doubt."

O'Toole was willing to leave the matter in Wogan's hands. If Wogan once
pledged himself to Jenny's release, why, Jenny _was_ released; and he
went to bed now with a quite equable mind. Wogan hurried off to the
palace of the Cardinal Origo, whom he found sitting at his supper. The
Cardinal welcomed Wogan back very warmly.

"I trust, your Eminence," said Wogan, "that Farini is now at Bologna."

"You come in the nick of time," replied the Cardinal. "This is his last
week. There is a great demand for the seats; but you will see to it, Mr.
Wogan, that the box is in the first tier."

"There was to be a dinner, too, if I recollect aright. I have not dined
for days. Your Eminence, I