116

XII A BALL AT COURT 136

XIII CORONETS FOR SALE 142

XIV APPLES OF SODOM 157

XV AN OPPOSITION BOOTH IS SET UP IN THE MARKET PLACE 163

XVI A MENACE 173

XVII NINA DUSTS BEHIND THE COUNTER 192

XVIII FAVORITA DRIVES A BARGAIN 214

XIX A CHALLENGE, AND AN ANSWER 221

XX HIS EMINENCE, THE ARCHBISHOP OF VENCATA 236

XXI THE SULPHUR MINES 246

XXII BEFORE DAYLIGHT 257

XXIII THE SPIDER'S WEB 269

XXIV WEIGHED IN THE BALANCE 289

XXV "THY PEOPLE SHALL BE MY PEOPLE--" 308

ILLUSTRATIONS

"'WE OF ITALY,' HE WAS SAYING, 'LIVE, ENDURE, DIE, IF NEED
BE--ALWAYS FOR THE SAME REASON--WOMEN AND LOVE!'"
Page 65 _Frontispiece_

"AS SHE SPOKE, A DOOR OPENED OPPOSITE, AND THE PRINCE CAME
IN" Facing page 4

"FOR THE SPACE OF A SECOND SHE FACED THE AUDIENCE, STANDING
STILL AND RIGID" 134

"NINA LOOKED AT HIM--'I WONDER IF YOU WOULD BE AMUSED IF
YOU KNEW WHY I LAUGHED'" 184

"HIS LIPS FRAMED 'GOOD-BY' AND HERS ANSWERED, BOTH SMILED
BRIGHTLY--AND THAT WAS THE PARTING" 232

"'YOU ARE AMERICANO, ARE YOU NOT? YOUR LAND HAS DONE MUCH
FOR MY PEOPLE!'" 239

CHAPTER I

PRINCE SANSEVERO DIMINISHES THE FORTUNES OF HIS HOUSE

Her excellency the Princess Sansevero sat up in bed. Reaching quickly
across the great width of mattress, she pulled the bell-rope twice,
then, shivering, slid back under the warmth of the covers. She drew them
close up over her shoulders, so far that only a heavy mass of golden
hair remained visible above the old crimson brocade of which the
counterpane was made. The room was still darkened so that the objects in
it were barely discernible, but presently one of the high, carved doors
opened and a maid entered, carrying a breakfast tray. Setting the tray
down, she crossed quickly