g?"

"You mean about the advertisement and my savings being spent? Oh
no--not yet. But I'll tell him all that when he comes."

"When he comes?" repeated Rose.

"I've invited him to come and stay with us."

Rose could only go on staring.

"It's the least I could do. Besides--look at this." Lotty waived her
hand. "Disgusting not to share it. I was a mean dog to go off and
leave him, but no dog I've every heard of was ever as mean as I'd be
if I didn't try and persuade Mellersh to come out and enjoy this too.
It's barest decency that he should have some of the fun out of my
nest-egg. After all, he has housed me and fed me for years. One
shouldn't be churlish."

"But--do you think he'll come?

"Oh, I hope so," said Lotty with the utmost earnestness; and
added, "Poor lamb."

At that Rose felt she would like to sit down. Mellersh a poor
lamb? That same Mellersh who a few hours before was mere shimmer?
There was a seat at the bend of the path, and Rose went to it and sat
down. She wished to get her breath, gain time. If she had time she
might perhaps be able to catch up the leaping Lotty, and perhaps be
able to stop her before she committed herself to what she probably
presently would be sorry for. Mellersh at San Salvatore? Mellersh,
from whom Lotty had taken such pains so recently to escape?

"I see him here," said Lotty, as if in answer to her thoughts.

Rose looked at her with real concern: for every time Lotty said
in that convinced voice, "I see," what she saw came true. Then it was
to be supposed that Mr. Wilkins too would presently come true.

"I wish," said Rose anxiously, "I understood you."

"Don't try," said Lotty, smiling.

"But I must, because I love you."

"Dear Rose," said Lotty, swiftly bending down and kissing her.

"You're so quick," said Rose. "I can't follow your developments.
I can't keep touch. It was what happened with Freder--"

She broke off and looked frightened.

"The whole idea of our coming here," she went on again, as Lotty
didn't seem to have noticed, "was to get away, wasn't it? Well, we've
got away. And now, after only a single day of it, you want to write to
the very people--"

She stopped.

"The very people we were getting away from," finished Lotty.
"It's quite true. It seems idiotically illogical. But I'm so happy,
I'm so well, I feel so fearfully wholesome. This place--why, it makes
me feel flooded with love."

And she stared down at Rose in