en they clustered round her, as is their
friendly way with all travelers, when she came from the Cathedral or the
strange old solitary chapel of St. Jacopo.

The Professor was waiting for her on the hotel steps, and he saw by some
extra radiance in her face that something unusual had happened.

"What is it, my child?" he asked, as they went in and up to their dinner
in the big _salle a manger_ upon the first floor, which was then nearly
always empty of guests.

"John Derringham is here, Master," she said--"and we have talked, and
now all shadows are gone--and we must only wait."

"I am glad to hear it," replied Cheiron, and bristled his brows.

This is all that was said between them on the subject, and, immediately
the meal was over, they retired to their rooms. But when alone in hers,
Halcyone took from the silken wrappings the Goddess Aphrodite, and in
the divine eyes read a glad blessing, and, as soon as her head touched
her pillow, she fell into a soft sweet sleep, while the warm night winds
flew in at the wide-opened windows and caressed her hair.

And John Derringham, when the dark had fallen, came down from his high
watch tower, and walked slowly back to the hotel, leaning upon his
stick. He was still filled with the hush of his loved one's serene calm.
Surely, after all, there must be some truth in her beliefs, and he would
trust to them, too, and wait and hope--and above all keep his word, as
she had said, with that honor which is entailed upon a gentleman.

He ordered his motor for dawn the next morning, so as to be away before
the chance of disturbing the two should occur.

The rare and wonderful sight of a motor in those days caused a crowd to
collect whenever one should arrive or depart. It was an unheard-of thing
that two should visit the city at the same time--there had only been
three in the whole year--so Halcyone, when she heard the whizz next
morning, bounded from her bed and rushed to peep between the green
shutters. Some instinct told her that the noise indicated it was he--her
dear lover--about to start, and she had the happiness of gazing down
upon his upturned face unperceived, as his eyes searched the windows,
perhaps in some vague hope of being able to discern which was hers.

And she showered upon him blessings of love and tenderness, and called
all the currents of good from the sky and the air, to comfort and
protect him and give him strength to go back and keep his word. And,
just a