erance thinks of you, and cannot
say whether he still harbors resentment against you or not; but,
whatever may be his opinion and feelings, rest assured that he will
never interfere to cause his sister an instant of unhappiness, more
especially as he knows that my father looks upon you with a favoring
eye."

"But how about the coldness existing between us?"

"Does it still exist on both sides?"

"Not on mine, Zuleika, not on mine. I forgave and forgot all long ago."

"Forgave and forgot! Then Esperance must have wronged you!"

"He did, Zuleika, and with the proverbial hot blood and headlong
impulses of the Roman youth I resented that wrong. But I could not
remain at enmity with the brother of the girl I loved, so when I became
cooler I sought him out and endeavored to apologize."

"And he accepted your apology?"

"He did not accept it, but turned on his heel and left me without a
word. He evidently thought me a coward and attributed my efforts toward
effecting a reconciliation to a desire to escape fighting him."

"But why did you quarrel in the first place? What was the cause of the
difference between you?"

The young Italian hung his head and did not answer. Zuleika saw that he
had grown deadly pale, and she felt his hand tremble nervously.

Freeing herself from his embrace, the young girl sprang to her feet and
faced him.

"Giovanni," said she, firmly, "tell me the whole story of this painful
affair. It is imperative that I should know it!"

"Do you doubt me, Zuleika, do you doubt me?" he asked, bitterly, and he
buried his face in his hands.

"Do I doubt you, Giovanni? No. But, if you love me, tell me all the
details of the trouble between my brother and yourself!"

"I cannot, I cannot, Zuleika!" he cried. "Command me to shed the last
drop of blood in my veins for you and I will do it without an instant's
hesitation, but I cannot tell you that terrible tale of deceit,
treachery and bloodshed!"

He had arisen and was walking excitedly about the salon; his pallor had
increased and he trembled in every limb.

Zuleika stood with folded arms and gazed at him; she was calm and her
eyes had a look of determination the young man had never before beheld
in them; it filled him with dismay. A few moments ago she had been all
love and tenderness, a yielding, trusting maiden in her lover's arms;
now, she resembled a beautiful Amazon bent on achieving a victory, whom
nothing but unconditional surrender would sa