ght as well say that because at this
moment there is only that one little cloud near the sun, there is no
cloud at all!"

"How ridiculous!" Marcello expressed his contempt of such girlish
reasoning by putting his rough little horse to a gallop.

"Men always say that," retorted Aurora, with exasperating calm. "I'll
race you to the tower for the first choice of oranges at dessert. They
are not very good this year, you know, and you like them."

"Don't be silly!" Marcello immediately reined his horse back to a walk,
and looked very dignified.

"It is impossible to please you," observed Aurora, slackening her pace
at once.

"It is impossible, if you abuse Folco."

"I am sure I did not mean to abuse him," Aurora answered meekly. "I
never abuse anybody."

"Women never do, I suppose," retorted Marcello, with a little snort of
dissatisfaction.

They were little more than children yet, and for pretty nearly five
minutes neither spoke a word, as their horses walked side by side.

"The keeper of the tower has more chickens this year," observed Aurora.
"I can see them running about."

This remark was evidently intended as an overture of reconciliation. It
acted like magic upon Marcello, who hated quarrelling, and was moreover
much more in love with the girl than he knew. Instinctively he put out
his left hand to take her right. They always made peace by taking hands.

But Aurora's did not move, and she did not even turn her head towards
him.

"Take care!" she said quickly, in a low tone. "They are watching us."

Marcello looked round and saw that the others were nearer than he had
supposed, and he blushed foolishly.

"Well, what harm would there be if you gave me your hand?" he asked. "I
only meant--"

"Yes, I understand," Aurora answered, in the same tone as before. "And I
am glad you like me, Marcello--if you really do."

"If I do!" His tone was full of youthful and righteous indignation.

"I did not mean to doubt it," she said quickly. "But it is getting to be
different now, you know. We are older, and somehow everything means
more, even the little things."

"Oh!" ejaculated Marcello. "I begin to see. I suppose," he added, with
what seemed to him reckless brutality, "that if I kissed you now you
would be furious."

He glanced uneasily at Aurora's face to note the effect of this
terrible speech. The result was not exactly what he had expected. A
faint colour rose in her cheeks, and then she laughed.

"W