of them to-day, and returned to his usual fashion
of patronizing and laying down the law. They were so used to this that
they did not care about it; indeed, they had reckoned on it as the most
amiable conduct to be expected on his part.

The day was chiefly spent in an excursion on the lake, landing at the
most beautiful spots, walking a little way and admiring, or while in the
boat, smoothly moving over the deep blue waters, gaining lovely views of
the banks, and talking over the book with which their acquaintance had
begun, "I Promessi Sposi". Never did tourists spend a more serene and
pleasant day.

On comparing notes as to their plans, it appeared that each party had
about a week or ten days to spare; the captain before he must embark for
Corfu, and Sir Guy and Lady Morville before the time they had fixed
for returning home. Guy proposed to go together somewhere, spare the
post-office further blunders, and get the Signor Capitano to be their
interpreter. Philip thought it would be an excellent thing for his young
cousins for him to take charge of them, and show them how people ought
to travel; so out came his little pocket map, marked with his route,
before he left Ireland, whereas they seemed to have no fixed object,
but to be always going 'somewhere.' It appeared that they had thought of
Venice, but were easily diverted from it by his design of coasting the
eastern bank of the Lago di Como, and so across the Stelvio into the
Tyrol, all together as far as Botzen, whence Philip would turn southward
by the mountain paths, while they would proceed to Innsbruck on their
return home.

Amabel was especially pleased to stay a little longer on the banks of
the lake, and to trace out more of Lucia's haunts; and if she secretly
thought it would have been pleasanter without a third person, she was
gratified to see how much Guy's manner had softened Philip's injustice
and distrust, making everything so smooth and satisfactory, that at the
end of the day, she told her husband that she thought his experiment had
not failed.

She was making the breakfast the next morning, when the captain came
into the room, and she told him Guy was gone to settle their plans with
Arnaud. After lingering a little by the window, Philip turned, and with
more abruptness than was usual with him, said--

'You don't think there is any cause of anxiety about Laura?'

'No; certainly not!' said Amy, surprised. 'She has not been looking well
lately,