e is a most awfully good sort--the sort
that believe in everything. Why, he has such a high opinion of me that
it's almost depressing at times. I can't live up to a high opinion; it's
all I can do to keep above a low one."

"But how will it come out, Molly?"

"It won't come out at all unless you tell it. No one else knows. He
_can't_ say anything without compromising himself, and I'm not likely to
let it out unless I some day pull up the wrong locket by accident."

"But don't it trouble you?"

"Trouble me! Why should it trouble me? It's that old Russian woman who
troubles me. I'd be idiotic to add to my miseries by thinking up any
other torments while I'm around with her. Here we are at the
Quai,--that's the hotel yonder. And I've talked one continuous stream
ever since we left the Gare and you've never said a word. Begin right
off and tell me something about yourself. Who have you met since you
came over in May? Of course you've met _some one_. Who?"

"An old French marquis," Rosina told her thoughtfully.

"And no one else?"

"Oh, yes, of course there were loads of others. But this was such a dear
old gentleman, when he kissed my hand--well, really, I almost felt like
a princess."

"But not like a marchioness?"

"Oh, dear no! I wouldn't think of undertaking the gout before I'm
thirty."

"The Lord preserve me from dear old men!" Molly ejaculated with fervor.
"Why, I had a baron propose to me last winter; he was actually so shaky
that his valet was always in attendance to stand him up and sit him
down. While he was pouring out his remnant of a heart I kept expecting
to see the valet come running in to throw him at my knees. He was over
eighty and awfully rich, but that servant of his was too careful and
conscientious for me to dare risk it,--a man like that with devoted
attention and plenty of rare beef might live ten years, you know,--so I
told him 'no,' and the valet came in and stood him up and led him away."

The cab coming to a standstill before the hotel just at this moment, the
two young women were forced to interrupt their conversation, and
undertake the arduous labor of preparing for _dejeuner_. Ottillie was
just laying out the contents of the travelling toilet-case when her
mistress came in to be dressed, and it was quite two hours later before
any opportunity presented itself for renewing their talk. Then Molly
came into the salon of the blue-and-white suite which the friends
shared, and they cur