etween Capri and Baiae, and about ten degrees above
the horizon.

"Hawbury," said he, solemnly, after about two minutes of portentous
silence.

"Well, old man?"

"I've had an adventure."

"An adventure! Well, don't be bashful. Breathe forth the tale in this
confiding ear."

"You see," said Dacres, "I started off this morning for a ride, and
had no more intention of going to Vesuvius than to Jericho."

"I should hope not. What business has a fellow like you with
Vesuvius--a fellow that has scaled Cotopaxi, and all that sort of
thing? Not you."

Dacres put the cigar thoughtfully in his mouth, struck a light, and
tried to light it, but couldn't. Then he bit the end off, which he had
forgotten to do before. Then he gave three long, solemn, and
portentous puffs. Then he took the cigar between his first and second
fingers, and stretched his hand out toward Hawbury.

"Hawbury, my boy," said he again.

"All right."

"You remember the time when I got that bullet in Uruguay?"

"Yes."

"Well, I had a shot to-day."

"A shot! The deuce you had. Cool, too. Any of those confounded bandits
about? I thought that was all rot."

"It wasn't a real shot; only figurative."

"Figurative!"

"Yes; it was a--a girl."

"By Jove!" cried Hawbury, starting up from an easy posture which he
had secured for himself after fifteen minutes shifting and changing.
"A girl! You, Dacres, spooney! A fellow like you, and a girl! By
Jove!"

Hawbury fell back again, and appeared to be vainly trying to grapple
with the thought. Dacres put his cigar between his lips again, and gave
one or two puffs at it, but it had gone out. He pitched it out of the
window, and struck his hand heavily on the arm of his chair.

"Yes, Hawbury, a girl; and spooney, too--as spooney as blazes; but
I'll swear there isn't such another girl upon the whole face of the
earth; and when you bear in mind the fact that my observation, with
extended view, has surveyed mankind from China to Peru, you'll be able
to appreciate the value of my statement."

"All right, old man; and now for the adventure."

"The adventure? Well, you see, I started for a ride. Had a misty idea
of going to Sorrento, and was jogging along among a million pigs or so
at Portici, when I overtook a carriage that was going slowly along.
There were three ladies in it. The backs of two of them were turned
toward me, and I afterward saw that one was old--no doubt the
chaperon--and the other was you