other construction to his melancholy. Taking him
with his hopes and fears, at the end of six weeks of active observation
and keen sensation, Pickering was as fine a fellow as need be. We made
our way down to Italy and spent a fortnight at Venice. There something
happened which I had been confidently expecting; I had said to myself
that it was merely a question of time. We had passed the day at
Torcello, and came floating back in the glow of the sunset, with measured
oar-strokes. "I am well on the way," Pickering said; "I think I will
go!"

We had not spoken for an hour, and I naturally asked him, Where? His
answer was delayed by our getting into the Piazzetta. I stepped ashore
first and then turned to help him. As he took my hand he met my eyes,
consciously, and it came. "To Smyrna!"

A couple of days later he started. I had risked the conjecture that Miss
Vernor was a charming creature, and six months afterwards he wrote me
that I was right.

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