th a border of small green flowers?"

"Have you seen it?"

"No, I only asked."

"Yes, there is a border of green flowers on it."

"Could I see it?"

"Certainly. Do you wish to?"

"That is what I am going to Glogova for."

"Why, if you don't believe in it?"

"Just for that very reason. If I believed in it I should not go."

"You are a heathen."

She drew her chair away from him, at which he at once became serious.

"Have I hurt you?" he asked contritely.

"No, but you frighten me," and her lovely oval face expressed
disappointment.

"I will believe anything you like, only don't be afraid of me."

Veronica smiled slightly.

"It would be a shame not to believe it," struck in Mrs. Szliminszky,
"for it is a fact--there is plenty to prove it. If you don't believe
that, you don't believe anything. Either the miracles in the Bible are
true, and if so, this is true too, or ..."

But she could not finish her sentence, for at that moment Madame Krisbay
rose from the table, saying she was tired, and would like to retire to
her room, and Mrs. Mravucsan led her and Veronica to two small rooms
opening on to the courtyard. In the doorway Gyuri bowed to Veronica, who
returned it with a slight nod.

"Shall we start early in the morning?" he asked.

She bowed with mock humility.

"As you like, Mr. Thomas," she said.

Gyuri understood the reference, and answered in the same strain:

"It depends upon how long the saints sleep."

Veronica turned her head, and shook her fist playfully at him.

"I will pay you out!" she said.

Gyuri could hardly take his eyes off her, she looked so pretty as she
spoke. Let the saints look like that if they could!

Soon after the Szliminszky pair started for home, accompanied by a man
carrying a lantern. Mrs. Szliminszky had made Wladin put on a light
spring coat, hung a long cloak over his shoulders, tied a big woollen
scarf round his neck, and having ordered him only to breathe through his
nose, once they were out, she turned to Gyuri again.

"Yes, it is a beautiful legend, it made a great impression on me."

"Poor legends!" returned Gyuri. "If we were to pick some of them to
pieces, and take the romance out of them, their saintly odor, their
mystery, what strange and simple truths would be left!"

"Well, they must not be picked to pieces, that is all. Wladin, turn up
the collar of your coat."

The lawyer thought for a minute.

"Perhaps you are right," he said.

After