st him."

"Lost him? Oh no; I never do. They always _will_ come. Besides, this
one will, I know."

"Why?"

"Because he said so."

"Said so? when?"

"Yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"Yes; we met him."

"Who?"

"Dowdy and I. We were out driving. We stopped and spoke to him. He was
dreadfully earnest and awfully embarrassed; and I knew he was going to
propose; so I kept whispering to myself all the time, 'Oh, please
don't--please don't;' but I know he will; and he'll be here soon too."

"He sha'n't. I won't let him. I'll never give him the chance."

"I think you needn't be so cruel."

"Cruel!"

"Yes; to the poor man."

"Why, you don't want another man, I hope?"

"N-no; but then I don't want to hurt his feelings. It was awfully good
of him, you know, and _aw_fully plucky."

[Illustration:
"IF I EVER SEE HIM, I'LL LET HIM KNOW WHAT I THINK OF HIM."]

"Well, I should think that you would prefer avoiding him, in your
peculiar situation."

"Yes, but he may feel hurt."

"Oh, he may see you once or twice with me."

"But he may want to see me alone, and what _can_ I do?"

"Really now, Minnie, you must remember that you are in a serious
position. There is that wretched Captain Kirby."

"I know," said Minnie, with a sigh.

"And that dreadful American. By-the-way, darling, you have never told
me his name. It isn't of any consequence, but I should like to know
the American's name."

"It's--Rufus K. Gunn."

"Rufus K. Gunn; what a funny name! and what in the world is 'K' for?"

"Oh, nothing. He says it is the fashion in his country to have some
letter of the alphabet between one's names, and he chose 'K,' because
it was so awfully uncommon. Isn't it funny, Kitty darling?"

"Oh dear!" sighed her sister; "and then there is that pertinacious
Count Girasole. Think what trouble we had in getting quietly rid of
him. I'm afraid all the time that he will not stay at Florence, as he
said, for he seems to have no fixed abode. First he was going to Rome,
and then Venice, and at last he committed himself to a statement that
he had to remain at Florence, and so enabled us to get rid of him. But
I know he'll come upon us again somewhere, and then we'll have all the
trouble over again. Oh dear! Well, Minnie darling, do you know the
name of this last one?"

"Oh yes."

"What is it?"

"It's a funny name," said Minnie; "a very funny name."

"Tell it to me."

"It's Scone Dacres; and isn't that a funny name?"

Mrs