tain a room for a--well, an indefinite period?"

Gustavo saw a dazzling vista of silver lire stretching into the future.
With an all-inclusive gesture he placed the house, the lake, the
surrounding mountains, at the disposal of the American.

"You shall have what you wish, signore. At dis season ze Hotel du Lac--"

"Is not crowded, and there are half a hundred rooms at my disposal? Very
well, I will keep the one I have which commands a very attractive view of
a rose-colored villa set in a grove of cypress trees."

The others had waited in a state of suspension, dumbfounded at what was
going on. But as soon as the young man dipped into his pocket and fished
out a handful of silver, they broke into smiles; this at least was
intelligible. The silver was distributed, the luggage was hoisted down,
the omnibus was dismissed. The courtyard resumed its former quiet; just
the American gentleman, Gustavo and the parrot were left.

Then suddenly a frightful suspicion dawned upon Gustavo--it was more than
a suspicion; it was an absolute certainty which in his excitement he had
overlooked. From where had the American gentleman dropped? Not the sky,
assuredly, and there was no place else possible, unless the door of the
summer house. Yes, he had been in the summer house, and not sleeping
either. An indefinable something about his manner informed Gustavo that
he was privy to the entire conversation. Gustavo, a picture of guilty
remorse, searched his memory for the words he had used. Why, oh why, had
he not piled up adjectives? It was the opportunity of a lifetime and he
had wantonly thrown it away.

But--to his astonished relief--the young man appeared to be bearing no
malice. He appeared, on the contrary, quite unusually cheerful as he
sauntered whistling, across the court and seated himself in the exact
chair the signorina had occupied. He plunged his hand into his pocket
suggestively--Gustavo had been the only one omitted in the distribution
of silver--and drew forth a roll of bills. Having selected five crisp
five-lire notes, he placed them under the sugar bowl, and watched his
companion while he blew three meditative rings of smoke.

"Gustavo," he inquired, "do you suppose you could find me some nice,
gentle, lady-like donkeys and a red sash and a pair of earrings?"

Gustavo's fascinated gaze had been fixed upon the sugar bowl and he had
only half caught the words.

"_Scusi_, signore, I no understand."

"Just sit down,