y of the Guicciardini family.'

'I know--I know that,' said she impatiently; 'and we do see faces in
which Titian or Velasquez have stamped nobility and birth as palpably as
they have printed loveliness and expression. And such were these women,
daughters in a long line of the proud Patricians who once ruled Rome.'

'And yet,' said he slowly, 'that portrait has its living counterpart.'

'I am aware of whom you speak: the awkward angular girl we all saw at Rome,
whom young gentlemen called the Tizziana.'

'She is certainly no longer awkward, nor angular, now, if she were once so,
which I do not remember. She is a model of grace and symmetry, and as much
more beautiful than that picture as colour, expression, and movement are
better than a lifeless image.'

'There is the fervour of a lover in your words, Cecil,' said she, smiling
faintly.

'It is not often I am so forgetful,' muttered he; 'but so it is, our
cousinship has done it all, Maude. One revels in expansiveness with his
own, and I can speak to you as I cannot speak to another.'

'It is a great flattery to me.'

'In fact, I feel that at last I have a sister--a dear and loving spirit
who will give to true friendship those delightful traits of pity and
tenderness, and even forgiveness, of which only the woman's nature can know
the needs.'

Lady Maude rose slowly, without a word. Nothing of heightened colour or
movement of her features indicated anger or indignation, and though Walpole
stood with an affected submissiveness before her, he marked her closely.
'I am sure, Maude,' continued he, 'you must often have wished to have a
brother.'

'Never so much as at this moment!' said she calmly--and now she had reached
the door. 'If I had had a brother, Cecil Walpole, it is possible I might
have been spared this insult!'

The next moment the door closed, and Walpole was alone.

CHAPTER LXVI

ATLEE'S MESSAGE

'I am right, Maude,' said Lord Danesbury as his niece re-entered the
drawing-room. 'This is from Atlee, who is at Athens; but why there I cannot
make out as yet. There are, according to the book, two explanations here.
491 means a white dromedary or the chief clerk, and B + 49 = 12 stands for
our envoy in Greece or a snuffer-dish.'

'Don't you think, my lord, it would be better for you to send this up to
Cecil? He has just come in. He has had much experience of these things.'

'You are quite right, Maude; let Fenton take it up and beg for a sp