ng. Tony the man had made no impression. He
must pass on and give place to Jerry Junior.

A flush crept over Tony's face and his mouth took a straighter line as he
continued to gaze down on the roof of Villa Rosa. His reflections were
presently interrupted by a knock. He turned and threw the door open with
a fling.

'Well?' he inquired.

Gustavo took a step backward.

'_Scusi_, signore, but zay are eating ze dessart and in five--ten minutes
ze omnibus will arrive.'

'The omnibus?' Tony stared. 'Oh!' he laughed shortly. 'I was just joking,
Gustavo.'

Gustavo bowed and turned down the corridor; there was a look on Tony's
face that did not encourage confidences. He had not gone half a dozen
steps, however, when the door opened again and Tony called him back.

'I am going away to-morrow morning--by the first boat this time--and you
mustn't let my aunt and sister know. I will write two letters and you are
to take them down to the steward of the boat that leaves to-night. Ask
him to put on Austrian stamps and mail them at Riva, so they'll get back
here to-morrow. Do you understand?'

Gustavo nodded and backed away. His disappointment this time was too keen
for words. He saw stretching before him a future like the past,
monotonously bereft of plots and masquerades.

Tony, having hit on a plan, sat down and put it into instant execution.
Opening his Baedeker, he turned to Riva and picked out the first hotel
that was mentioned. Then he wrote two letters, both short and to the
point; he indulged in none of Constance's vacillations, and yet in their
way his letters also were masterpieces of illusion. The first was
addressed to Miss Constance Wilder at Villa Rosa. It ran--

'HOTEL SOLE D'ORO,
'RIVA, AUSTRIA.

'DEAR MISS WILDER: Nothing would give me greater pleasure than
spending a few days in Valedolmo, but unfortunately I am pressed
for time, and am engaged to start Thursday morning with some
friends on a trip through the Dolomites.

'Trusting that I may have the pleasure of making your acquaintance
at some future date,

'Yours truly,
'JERYMN HILLIARD, JR.'

The second letter was addressed to his sister, but he trusted to luck
that Constance would see it. It ran--