t--would it be? She saw the red cross on Peppina's
cheek. Why was one singled out for misery, another for joy? Which would
be her fate? Ruffo seemed to be standing near her. She had seen him
several times in these last days, but only at evening, fugitively, when
he came in the boat with the fishermen. He was stronger now. He had
saluted her eagerly. She had spoken to him from the shore. But he had
not landed again on the island. She felt as if she saw his bright and
beaming eyes. And Ruffo--would he be happy? She hoped so. She wanted him
to be happy. He was such a dear, active boy--such a real boy. What
must it be like to have a brother? Gaspare approved of Ruffo now, she
thought; and Gaspare did not like everybody, and was fearfully blunt in
expressing his opinion. She loved his bluntness. How delightfully his
nose twitched when he was pleased! Dear old Gaspare! She could never
feel afraid of anything or anybody when he was near. Monsieur Emile--the
poems--the Marchesino singing. She closed her eyes to think the better.

"Signorina! Signorina!"

Vere woke and sat up.

"Signorina!"

Gaspare was looking at her from his boat.

"Gaspare!"

She began to realize things.

"I was--I was thinking."

"Si, Signorina. I always think like that when I am in bed."

She laughed. She was wide awake now.

"How did you find me?"

"I met one of the fishermen. He had seen you row into the cave."

"Oh!"

She looked at him more steadily. His brown face was hot. Perspiration
stood on his forehead just under the thick and waving hair.

"Where have you been, Gaspare? Not to Naples in all this heat?"

"I have been to Mergellina, Signorina."

"Mergellina! Did you see Ruffo?"

"Si, Signorina."

There was something very odd about Gaspare to-day, Vere thought. Or was
she still not thoroughly awake? His eyes looked excited, surely, as if
something unusual had been happening. And they were fixed upon her face
with a scrutiny that was strange, almost as if he saw her now for the
first time.

"What is it, Gaspare? Why do you look at me like that?"

Gaspare turned his eyes away.

"Like what, Signorina? Why should I not look at you?"

"What have you been doing at Mergellina?"

She spoke rather imperiously.

"Nothing particular, Signorina."

"Oh!"

She paused, but he did not speak.

"Where did you see Ruffo?"

"At the harbor, Signorina."

"Tell me, Gaspare, do you like him?"

"Ruffo?"

"Yes."

"I do not dislike