er, and the Contessa smiled
gently, as much as to say that she was doing right, but neither spoke.

Presently Kalmon came out with the Sister of Charity, who bent her head
gravely to the two ladies.

"She wishes to see you alone," Kalmon said, in explanation, while he
held the door open for Aurora to pass in.

He closed it after her, and the two were together.

When Aurora entered, Regina's eyes were fixed upon her face as if they
had already found her and seen her while she had been in the other room.
She came straight to the bedside and took the hand that was stretched
out to meet hers. It was thin and hot now, and the arm was already
wasted. Aurora remembered how strongly it had lifted her to the edge of
the rock, far away by Pontresina.

"You are very kind, Signorina," said the faint voice. "You see how I
am."

Aurora saw indeed, and kept the hand in hers as she sat down in the
chair that stood where Marcello had left it.

"I am very, very sorry," she said, leaning forward a little and looking
into the worn face, colourless now that the fever had subsided for a
while.

The same bright smile that Kalmon had seen lighted up Regina's features.

"But I am glad!" she answered. "They do not understand that I am glad."

"No, no!" cried Aurora softly. "Don't say you are glad!"

The smile faded, and a very earnest look came into the hollow dark eyes.

"But I have not done it on purpose," Regina said. "I did not know there
was fever in that place, or I would not have sat down there. You believe
me, Signorina, don't you?"

"Yes, indeed!"

The smile returned very gradually, and the anxious pressure of the hand
relaxed.

"You must not think that I was looking for the fever. But since it came,
and I am going from here, I am glad. I shall not be in the way any more.
That hindrance will be taken out of his life."

"He would not like to hear you speak like this," Aurora said, with great
gentleness.

"There is no time for anything except the truth, now. And you are good,
so good! No, there is no time. To-morrow, I shall be gone. Signorina, if
I could kneel at your feet, I would kneel. But you see how I am. You
must think I am kneeling at your feet."

"But why?" asked Aurora, with a little distress.

"To ask you to forgive me for being a hindrance. I want pardon before I
go. But I found him half dead on the door-step. What could I do? When I
had seen him, I loved him. I knew that he thought of you. That was all