etter
from my sister informing me that they will arrive tonight, and that we
will pull out for Riva by the first boat tomorrow morning. Not that I
want to leave you, Gustavo, but--Oh, thunder!"

He finished the reading in a frowning silence while the waiter stood at
polite attention, a shade of anxiety in his eye--there was usually
anxiety in his eye when it rested on Jerymn Hilliard Jr. One could never
foresee what the young man would call for next. Yesterday he had rung
the bell and demanded a partner to play lawn tennis, as if the hotel kept
partners laid away in drawers like so many sheets.

He crumpled up the letter and stuffed it in his pocket.

"I say, Gustavo, what do you think of this? They're going to stay in
Lucerne till the tenth--that's next week--and they hope I don't mind
waiting; it will be nice for me to have a rest. A _rest_, man, and I've
already spent three days in Valedolmo!"

"_Si_, signore, you will desire ze same room?" was as much as Gustavo
thought.

"Ze same room? Oh, I suppose so."

He sank back into his chair and plunged his hands into his pockets with
an air of sombre resignation. The waiter hovered over him, divided
between a desire to return to his siesta, and a sympathetic interest in
the young man's troubles. Never before in the history of his connection
with the Hotel du Lac had Gustavo experienced such a munificent,
companionable, expansive, entertaining, thoroughly unique and
inexplicable guest. Even the fact that he was American scarcely accounted
for everything.

The young man raised his head and eyed his companion gloomily.

"Gustavo, have you a sister?"

"A sister?" Gustavo's manner was uncomprehending but patient. "_Si_,
signore, I have eight sister."

"Eight! Merciful saints. How do you manage to be so cheerful?"

"Tree is married, signore, one uvver is betrofed, one is in a convent,
one is dead and two is babies."

"I see--they're pretty well disposed of; but the babies will grow up,
Gustavo, and as for that betrothed one, I should still be a little
nervous if I were you; you can never be sure they are going to stay
betrothed. I hope she doesn't spend her time chasing over the map of
Europe making appointments with you to meet her in unheard of little
mountain villages where the only approach to Christian reading matter is
a Paris _Herald_ four days old, and then doesn't turn up to keep her
appointments?"

Gustavo blinked. His supple back achieved another bow.