e
why Kitty's being in Venice excites you."

"No? Well, fate writes that Kitty's mysterious prima donna and my Lady
of the Mask are one and the same person."

"No!"

The two, without further words, marched along the middle of the Corso to
the hotel, which was only a few steps away. They entered. The concierge
started toward them as if he desired to impart some valuable
information, but suddenly reconsidered, and retreated to his bandbox of
an office and busied himself with the ever-increasing _debours_. The
strangeness of his movements passed unnoticed by the two men, who
continued on through the lobby, turning into the first corridor. Hillard
inserted his key in the door of his room, unlocked it, and swung it
inward. This done, he paused irresolutely on the threshold, and with
good cause.

"What the devil can this mean?" he whispered to Merrihew, who peered
over his shoulder.

Two dignified _carabinieri_ rose quickly and approached Hillard. There
was something in the flashing eyes and set jaws that made him realize
that the safest thing for him to do at that moment was to stand
perfectly still!

CHAPTER X

CARABINIERI

"Signori," began Hillard calmly, "before you act, will you not do me the
honor to explain to me the meaning of this visit?"

"It is not he!" said one of the _carabinieri_. "It is the master, and
not the servant. This is Signore Hil_lar_, is it not?" he continued,
addressing himself to Hillard.

"Yes."

"The signore has a servant by the name of Giovanni?"

"Yes. And what has he done to warrant this visit?" Hillard asked less
calmly.

"It is a matter of seven years," answered the spokesman. "Your servant
attempted to kill an officer in Rome. Luigi here, who was then
interested in the case in Rome, thought he recognized Giovanni in the
street to-day. Inquiries led us here."

"Ah!" Hillard thought quickly. "I am afraid that you have had your
trouble for nothing. Giovanni is now a citizen of the United States,
under full protection of its laws, domestic and foreign. It would not be
wise for you to touch him."

The _carabinieri_ stared at each other. They shrugged.

"Signore, we recognize no foreign citizenship for our countrymen who,
having committed a crime, return to the scene of it. We are here to
arrest him. He will be tried and sentenced. But it is possible that he
may be allowed to return to America, once he has been proved guilty of
intent to kill."

Hillard flushed, b