breakfast, and I thank you for what you did for me."

"It is not I who deserve any thanks. And good appetite to you,
Signorina." She turned and walked slowly back towards the hotel.

"And may Our Lady bless you and keep you, and send an angel to watch
over every hair of your blessed head!" said Ruggiero in a low voice as
he watched her graceful figure retreating in the distance.

CHAPTER IX.

After what had happened on the previous evening Ruggiero had expected
that Beatrice would treat him very differently. He had assuredly not
foreseen that she would call him from his seat by the porter's lodge,
ask an important service of him, and then enter into conversation with
him about the origin of his family and the story of his own life. His
slow but logical mind pondered on these things in spite of the
disordered action of his heart, which had almost choked him while he had
been talking with the young girl. Instead of going back to his brother,
he turned aside and entered the steep descending tunnel through the rock
which leads down to the sea and the little harbour.

Two things were strongly impressed on his mind. First, the nature of the
service he had done Beatrice in making that enquiry at the telegraph
office, and secondly her readiness to forget his own reckless conduct at
Tragara. Both these points suggested reflections which pleased him
strangely. It was quite clear to him that Beatrice distrusted San
Miniato, though he had of course no idea of the nature of the telegram
concerning which she had wanted information. He only understood that she
was watching San Miniato with suspicion, expecting some sort of foul
play. But there was an immense satisfaction in that thought, and
Ruggiero's eyes sparkled as he revolved it in his brain.

As for the other matter, he understood it less clearly. He was quite
conscious of the enormity of his misdeed in telling a lady, and a great
lady, according to his view, that he loved her, and in daring to touch
the sleeves of her dress with his rough hands. He could not find it in
him to regret what he had done, but he was prepared for very hard
treatment as his just reward. It would not have surprised him if
Beatrice had then and there complained of him to her mother or to San
Miniato himself, and the latter, Ruggiero supposed, would have had no
difficulty in having him locked up in the town gaol for a few weeks on
the rather serious ground of misdemeanour towards the visi