ll you then become the bride
of the church?" And Talila laughed aloud and tossed her head. "Giovanni
longs to marry me, Father," she said, "I know that already." But the
Father sent for Giovanni and gave him money if he would say he did
not want to marry Talila. At first he would not say so, but the Father
showed him a purse all full of silver, which Talila's mother had brought
him, for it was she who had vowed Talila should be a nun. Then the
Father said: "This is yours if you say as I wish, and if not, you shall
be cursed forever, and all your children shall be cursed, because you
have married the bride of the church." Then Giovanni crossed himself and
took the bag of silver, and the priest sent for Talila, and she heard
her Giovanni say he didn't want to marry her--she had better be a nun;
and she threw up her brown arms and screamed aloud, and fell down as if
dead. And afterwards she was very ill, and when she grew better she had
forgotten everything and was only a little child, and she loves little
children, and is ever with them, but she calls them all Giovanni. They
play together by the bay through the long day, and at night she takes
them to their mothers, and goes alone to her home. But alas! she
never tells her beads, or prays a prayer, and sorry things are said of
her--that God gave her up because she left Him. But the children all
love her, and she loves them.

CHAPTER III.

Edith and Mae had a quarrel one morning. Mae's tongue was sharp, but
although she breezed quickly, she calmed again very soon. The latter
fact availed her little this time, for Edith maintained a cold
displeasure that would not be melted by any bright speeches or frank
apologies. "Edith," said little Miss Mae, quite humbly for her, as she
put on her hat, and drew on her gloves, "Edith, aren't you going out
with me?" "What for?" asked that young person indifferently.

"Why--for fun, and to make up. Haven't you forgiven me yet?"

Edith did not reply directly. "I am going out with mamma to buy our
dominoes for the Carnival, and to see our balcony. Albert has engaged
one for us, on the corner of the Corso and Santa Maria e Jesu. I suppose
you can go too. There will be an extra seat. We'll come home by the
Pincian Hill."

"Thank you," said Mae, "but I will get Eric and go for a tramp," and she
left the room with compressed lips and flushed cheeks. In the hall were
Albert, Eric and Norman, talking busily. "Where are you going Eric,