ve your way."

He took the glass with his left hand, and the sight of the terrible
scars recalled Galli to the former subject of conversation.

"By the way," he asked; "how did you get so much knocked about? In the
war, was it?"

"Now, didn't I just tell you it was a case of secret dungeons and----"

"Yes, that version is for Signora Grassini's benefit. Really, I suppose
it was in the war with Brazil?"

"Yes, I got a bit hurt there; and then hunting in the savage districts
and one thing and another."

"Ah, yes; on the scientific expedition. You can fasten your shirt; I
have quite done. You seem to have had an exciting time of it out there."

"Well, of course you can't live in savage countries without getting a
few adventures once in a way," said the Gadfly lightly; "and you can
hardly expect them all to be pleasant."

"Still, I don't understand how you managed to get so much knocked about
unless in a bad adventure with wild beasts--those scars on your left
arm, for instance."

"Ah, that was in a puma-hunt. You see, I had fired----"

There was a knock at the door.

"Is the room tidy, Martini? Yes? Then please open the door. This is
really most kind, signora; you must excuse my not getting up."

"Of course you mustn't get up; I have not come as a caller. I am a
little early, Cesare. I thought perhaps you were in a hurry to go."

"I can stop for a quarter of an hour. Let me put your cloak in the other
room. Shall I take the basket, too?"

"Take care; those are new-laid eggs. Katie brought them in from Monte
Oliveto this morning. There are some Christmas roses for you, Signor
Rivarez; I know you are fond of flowers."

She sat down beside the table and began clipping the stalks of the
flowers and arranging them in a vase.

"Well, Rivarez," said Galli; "tell us the rest of the puma-hunt story;
you had just begun."

"Ah, yes! Galli was asking me about life in South America, signora; and
I was telling him how I came to get my left arm spoiled. It was in Peru.
We had been wading a river on a puma-hunt, and when I fired at the beast
the powder wouldn't go off; it had got splashed with water. Naturally
the puma didn't wait for me to rectify that; and this is the result."

"That must have been a pleasant experience."

"Oh, not so bad! One must take the rough with the smooth, of course; but
it's a splendid life on the whole. Serpent-catching, for instance----"

He rattled on, telling anecdote after anecdote;