ld out her hand. He kissed it
after the European custom; and as he did so he felt her fingers tighten
over his, as she whispered with a little underlying emotional vibration,
"God bless you, my dear boy!--and a safe return."

Vaguely, as he went through the rooms in search of Nina, the princess's
words echoed through his mind, and through some unknown train of
suggestion he remembered that Miller, the butler in New York, had wished
Nina a "safe return." The association of the two seemed ridiculous, yet
a thought held: Was it at all certain that she was going to return home?
Was he, perhaps, not going to return from Sicily? He put himself in the
category of idiots and banished the idea. But the echo of the blessing
that the princess had given him settled softly upon his sensibilities.
"God bless _her_!" he said almost aloud.

Presently he found Nina, unapproachably hemmed in, and too near the
music to talk. For a moment she hesitated, on the verge of extricating
herself or encouraging him to enter the circle despite the general
disturbance it must cause. But the moment passed. His lips framed
"Good-by" and hers answered, both smiled brightly--and that was the
parting.

[Illustration: "HIS LIPS FRAMED 'GOOD-BY' AND HERS ANSWERED, BOTH SMILED
BRIGHTLY--AND THAT WAS THE PARTING"]

Derby was in many ways a fatalist--not one of those who thought that by
sitting still the gifts from the horn of fortune would tumble into his
lap; but one of those who believe (to use his own expression), in
pegging away at the thing in hand; further than that, what was to be,
would be.

As Derby descended the stairs he encountered the Countess Masco. "Hello,
John!" she exclaimed, and then as she held him by the arm, her voice
came down to what for her was a low whisper; at twenty feet any one
could have overheard her, but fortunately the hall was deserted, save
for a couple of footmen standing at the green baize door that led to the
outer stairs of the courtyard. "Have you heard the news? Giovanni
Sansevero agreed to go on a cruise to Malta with Rosso, and Rosso won't
let him out of it! You may imagine he does not relish leaving Rome just
now, especially with you again out of the field!"

Derby was not given an opportunity either to accept or to resent her
intrusion into his affairs, for the dashing lady immediately fled, and
Derby went on. As he waited for his cab, he felt inclined to go back and
try to see Nina. He was letting her drift