he usual arrangement of a barque of the canals.

"I see nothing to turn me aside!" exclaimed the disappointed girl. "Wilt
thou aught with me, Signore?"

"Thou art welcome. We shall not part so readily as before."

The stranger had arisen while speaking, and as he ended, he laid a hand
on the shoulder of his visitor, who found herself confronted with Don
Camillo Monforte.

Annina was too much practised in deception to indulge in any of the
ordinary female symptoms, either of real or of affected alarm.
Commanding her features, though in truth her limbs shook, she said with
assumed pleasantry--

"The secret trade is honored in the services of the noble Duke of St.
Agata!"

"I am not here to trifle, girl, as thou wilt see in the end. Thou hast
thy choice before thee, frank confession or my just anger."

Don Camillo spoke calmly, but in a manner that plainly showed Annina she
had to deal with a resolute man.

"What confession would your eccellenza have from the daughter of a poor
wine-seller?" she asked, her voice trembling in spite of herself.

"The truth--and remember that this time we do not part until I am
satisfied. The Venetian police and I are now fairly at issue, and thou
art the first fruits of my plan."

"Signor Duca, this is a bold step to take in the heart of the canals!"

"The consequences be mine. Thy interest will teach thee to confess."

"I shall make no great merit, Signore, of doing that which is forced
upon me. As it is your pleasure to know the little I can tell you, I am
happy to be permitted to relate it."

"Speak then; for time presses."

"Signore, I shall not pretend to deny you have been ill-treated.
Capperi! how ill has the council treated you! A noble cavalier, of a
strange country, who, the meanest gossip in Venice knows, has a just
right to the honors of the Senate, to be so treated is a disgrace to the
Republic! I do not wonder that your eccellenza is out of humor with
them. Blessed St. Mark himself would lose his patience to be thus
treated!"

"A truce with this, girl, and to your facts."

"My facts, Signor Duca, are a thousand times clearer than the sun, and
they are all at your eccellenza's service. I am sure I wish I had more
of them, since they give you pleasure."

"Enough of this profession. Speak to the facts themselves."

Annina, who in the manner of most of her class in Italy, that had been
exposed to the intrigues of the towns, had been lavish of her words, now
f