lly placid.
Nor had she later made much effort in her quest for Jimmy's trust and
affection. She could not climb mountains, pedal wheels or ride
quadrupeds. She cared little for scenery--she had seen so much in her
girlhood. She admitted feeling languid and inert. Perhaps mountain air
was not congenial. She would be better when they got to sunny Italy. She
wished there to see everything and to live in the open air--it was what
the doctor said the captain must do--and then she was always exquisitely
gowned and ready to meet them when in the late afternoon they came home,
all aglow, with just time to get out of their tweeds and into dinner
dress. Then Jimmy went early to bed, and she had the long beautiful
evenings with her husband. But now they were in sunny Italy and, except
to drive in beauteous toilets and dine in evening garb still more
resplendent, Inez had no interest in her surroundings and but little in
Jim. They were to sail for home, taking the _Hohenzollern_ at Naples,
after the Easter week in Rome. They had been driving much of the day and
dining early on the balcony of their hotel, looking out upon the
glorious view toward Sorrento and Capri, with grim Vesuvius,
smoke-crowned, in the middle distance. Any moment, said their host, they
should sight the graceful hull of their expected steamer cleaving the
blue beyond the rocky scarp of Posilipo, when Jimmy, gazing steadily
through the glass at the crowding fleet of shipping off the Dogana,
spoke excitedly: "It is our flag, daddy, and the funnel has three
stripes!"

"A transport," said his father, who had been bending over Inez. "She
must have come in while we were driving." Yet, even as he spoke,
anxiously, tenderly, he was studying her face.

"Then--that was one of our officers that spoke to you, mamma?" said Jim,
turning quickly, eagerly toward her.

She had been unusually inert and silent since their return, had herself
suggested dinner on the balcony. It would save the bother of dressing,
and then repacking, since they might have to go on board any hour that
evening. She had been gazing listlessly out over the beautiful bay,
almost dazzling in the rays of the setting sun. Now she suddenly
started, shivered, but almost as suddenly, quickly rallied.

"Spoke to _me_, Jimmy! Why, child, you've been dreaming!"

"Why, no, mamma! Don't you remember--while daddy was in at the bank?"
and the boy's big violet eyes turned full upon her. The white hands
gripped t