istics Niagara."

"Look at him now, gorged with joy!" said Inness, indignantly. "But I'll
floor him yet, and on his own ground, too. I'll study up, and _then_
we'll see!"

But the Professor, not hearing this threat, had already begun, and begun
(for him) quite gayly. "The origin of Mentone, Miss Trescott, has been
attributed to the pirates, and also to Hercules."

"I have always been _so_ interested in Hercules," replied that young
person.

[Illustration: "TO ITALY"--PONT ST. LOUIS]

"Mythical--mythical," said the Professor. "I merely mentioned it as one
of the legends. To come down to facts--always much more impressive to a
rightly disposed mind--the first mention of Mentone, _per se_, on the
authentic page of history, occurs in the eighth century. In A.D. 975 it
belonged to the Lascaris, Counts of Ventimiglia, a family of royal
origin and Greek descent."

"Are there any of them left?" inquired Janet.

"I really do not know," replied the Professor, who was not interested in
that branch of the subject. "In the fourteenth century the village
passed into the possession of the Grimaldi family, Princes of Monaco,
and they held it, legally at least, until 1860, when it was attached to
France."

"He is really quite Cyclopean in his information," murmured Mrs.
Trescott.

But the Professor had now discovered Inness, who, with an expression of
deepest interest on his face, was walking close at his heels, and
writing as he walked in a note-book.

"What are you doing, sir?" said the Professor, in his college tone.

"Taking notes," replied Inness, respectfully. "Miss Trescott may feel
willing to trust her memory, but _I_ wish to preserve your remarks for
future reference," and he went on with his writing.

The Professor looked at him sharply, but the youth's face remained
immovable, and he went on.

"These three little towns, then, Mentone, Roccabruna, and Monaco, have
belonged to the Princes of Monaco since the early Middle Ages."

"Those dear Middle Ages!" said Mrs. Clary.

The Professor gravely looked at her, and then repeated his phrase, as if
linking together his remarks over her unimportant head. "As I
observed--the early Middle Ages. But in 1848 Mentone and Roccabruna,
unable longer to endure the tyranny of their rulers, revolted and
declared their independence. The Prince at that time lived in Paris,
knew little of his subjects, and apparently cared less, save to get from
them through agents as much inco