s
late arduous struggle.

General Pierson was chiefly anxious to know whether Countess Lena would
be willing to give her hand to Wilfrid in the event of his restoration
to his antecedent position in the army. He found her extremely excited
about Carlo Ammiani, her old playmate, and once her dear friend. She
would not speak of Wilfrid at all. To appease the chivalrous little
woman, General Pierson hinted that his nephew, being under the
protection of General Schoneck, might get some intelligence from
that officer. Lena pretended to reject the notion of her coming into
communication with Wilfrid for any earthly purpose. She said to herself,
however, that her object was pre-eminently unselfish; and as the General
pointedly refused to serve her in a matter that concerned an Italian
nobleman, she sent directions to Wilfrid to go before General Schoeneck
the moment he was off duty, and ask his assistance, in her name, to
elucidate the mystery of Count Ammiani's behaviour. The answer was a
transmission of Captain Weisspriess's letter to Carlo. Lena caused
the fact of this letter having missed its way to be circulated in the
journals, and then she carried it triumphantly to her sister, saying:

"There! I knew these reports were abase calumny."

"Reports, to what effect?" said Anna.

"That Carlo Ammiani had slunk from a combat with your duellist."

"Oh! I knew that myself," Anna remarked.

"You were the loudest in proclaiming it."

"Because I intend to ruin him."

"Carlo Ammiani? What has he done to you?"

Anna's eyes had fallen on the additional lines of the letter which she
had not dictated. She frowned and exclaimed:

"What is this? Does the man play me false? Read those lines, Lena, and
tell me, does the man mean to fight in earnest who can dare to write
them? He advises Ammiani to go to Venice. It's treason, if it is not
cowardice. And see here--he has the audacity to say that he deeply
respects the lady Ammiani is going to marry. Is Ammiani going to marry
her? I think not."

Anna dashed the letter to the floor.

"But I will make use of what's within my reach," she said, picking it
up.

"Carlo Ammiani will marry her, I presume," said Lena.

"Not before he has met Captain Weisspriess, who, by the way, has
obtained his majority. And, Lena, my dear, write to inform him that we
wish to offer him our congratulations. He will be a General officer in
good time."

"Perhaps you forget that Count Ammiani is a perf