se Paul de Roustache is sure to
come and--"

"He 's come already," observed the second lady, calmly.

"What? Come?"

The other lady set down the cat, rose to her feet, took out of her
pocket a gold ring and a gold locket, walked over to her companion, and
held them out to her. "These are yours, are n't they?" she inquired,
and broke into a merry laugh. The sight brought nothing but an
astonished stare and a breathless ejaculation--

"Lucia!"

The two ladies drew their chairs close together, and a long
conversation ensued, Lucia being the chief narrator, while her
companion, whom she addressed from time to time as Emilia, did little
more than listen and throw in exclamations of wonder, surprise, or
delight.

"How splendidly you kept the secret!" she cried once. And again, "How
lucky that he should be here!" And again, "I thought he looked quite
charming." And once again, "But, goodness, what a state the poor man
must be in! How could you help telling him, Lucia?"

"I had promised," said Lucia, solemnly, "and I keep my promises,
Emilia."

"And that man has positively gone?" sighed Emilia, taking no notice of
a rather challenging emphasis which Lucia had laid on her last remark.

"Yes, gone for good--I 'm sure of it. And you need n't tell Andrea
anything. Just take all the vows he asks you to! But he won't now;
you see he wants a reconciliation as much as you do."

"I shall insist on taking at least one vow," said Emilia, with a
virtuous air. She stopped and started. "But what in the world am I to
say about you, my dear?" she asked.

"Say I 've just come back from Rome, of course," responded Lucia.

"If he should find out--"

"It 's very unlikely, and at the worst you must take another vow,
Emilia. But Andrea 'll never suspect the truth unless--"

"Unless what?"

"Unless Captain Dieppe lets it out, you know."

"It would be better if Captain Dieppe did n't come back, I think,"
observed Emilia, thoughtfully.

"Well, of all the ungrateful women!" cried Lucia, indignantly. But
Emilia sprang up and kissed her, and began pressing her with all sorts
of questions, or rather with all sorts of ways of putting one question,
which made her blush very much, and to which she seemed unable, or
unwilling, to give any definite reply. At last Emilia abandoned the
attempt to extract an admission, and observed with a sigh of
satisfaction:

"I think I 'd better see Andrea and forgive him."

"You 'll ch