u will enjoy the cedar of
Lebanon and the india-rubber tree. Good afternoon.'

She jumped to the ground and crossed to the water-steps, where Giuseppe,
with a radiant smile, was steadying the boat against the landing. She
settled herself comfortably among the cushions and then for a moment
glanced back towards shore.

'You would better go out by the gate,' she called. 'The wall on the
farther side is harder to climb than the one you came in by; and
besides, it has broken glass on the top.'

Giuseppe raised the yellow sail and the _Farfalla_, with a graceful dip,
glided out to sea. The young man stood eyeing its progress revengefully.
Now that the girl was out of hearing, a number of pointed things occurred
to him which he might have said. His thoughts were interrupted by a fresh
giggle from behind, and he found that the three washer-girls were
laughing at him.

'Your mistress's manners are not the best in the world,' said he
severely, 'and I am obliged to add that yours are no better.'

They giggled again, though there was no malice behind their humour; it
was merely that they found the lack of a language in common a
mirth-provoking circumstance. Marietta, with a flash of black eyes,
murmured something very kindly in Italian, as she shook out a linen
sailor suit--the exact twin of the one that had gone to sea--and spread
it on the wall to dry.

The young man did not linger for further words. Setting his hat firmly on
his head, he vaulted the parapet and strode off down the cypress alley
that stretched before him; he passed the pink villa without a glance. At
the gate he stood aside to admit a horse and rider. The horse was
prancing in spite of the heat; the rider wore a uniform and a shining
sword. There was a clank of accoutrements as he passed, and the wayfarer
caught a gleam of piercing black eyes and a slight black moustache turned
up at the ends. The rider saluted politely and indifferently, and jangled
on. The young man scowled after him maliciously until the cypresses hid
him from view; then he turned and took up the dusty road back towards the
Hotel du Lac.

It was close upon five, and Gustavo was in the courtyard feeding the
parrot, when his eye fell upon the American guest scuffling down the road
in a cloud of white dust. Gustavo hastened to the gate to welcome him
back, his very eyebrows expressive of his eagerness for news.

'You are returned, signore?'

The young man paused and regarded him unemo