til
evening. The doctor was to see Bobby next day. She had a light dinner in
her own room, then went downstairs to order an open cab. The night was
lovely after the scorching day. She thought a drive about the streets
would be amusing. Her gay, care-free mood was still upon her. This was
Italy--Italy--and day after to-morrow she would be on one of its
beautiful lakes. With this thought came the thought of Amaldi. She ought
really to let him know that she was in Italy, was going to his own
beloved lake. How pleasant it would be to see him again. How surprised
he would be. Then, too, to meet his mother--that would be a new
pleasure.

She stepped from the marble stairway into the hall of the hotel,
remembering all at once that she did not have Amaldi's address. But then
"Marchese Amaldi, Lago Maggiore" ought to be enough. Still, yes, it
would be better to ask at the office of the hotel. They would doubtless
be able to give it to her.

The head-clerk smiled affably as she asked, and made a sweeping gesture
with his left arm.

"But, Madame, there is the Marchese himself," said he.

Sophy turned quickly.

Amaldi, who had just entered, was lighting a cigarette, his back turned
towards her. Then he turned suddenly just as she had done, and saw her.
The next moment she had given him her hand and was explaining how she
happened to be in Milan in the dead of summer. Her explanations were a
vague murmur to Amaldi. He was thinking that nothing less than Fate had
ordered it. It was "meant" that she should come to Italy and that he
should be holding her hand in his--after so many bitter dreams. Fate had
brought her back into his life--the one woman he had ever desired with
his whole being.

He had only a few moments with her, however, before the friend for whom
he had called came downstairs. His mother was waiting outside in her
carriage. Might she call on Mrs. Chesney next day? Sophy said that she
had just been thinking what a pleasure it would be to meet the Marchesa.
She smiled at him as she said this and gave him her hand again. Amaldi,
who was rather pale, bent and kissed it. Then he joined his mother's
guest and they went out together.

Sophy wished that he could have driven with her that evening. He was
even nicer than she remembered him.

"I wonder if he is like his mother?" she thought as she got into the
little _carozza_ for her lonely outing. "I'm sure to like her if she is
anything like him." And all during the