r myself I am not afraid."

"Neither am I--for you! I am speaking for this young lady."

Giovanelli lifted his well-shaped eyebrows and showed his brilliant
teeth. But he took Winterbourne's rebuke with docility. "I told the
signorina it was a grave indiscretion, but when was the signorina ever
prudent?"

"I never was sick, and I don't mean to be!" the signorina declared. "I
don't look like much, but I'm healthy! I was bound to see the Colosseum
by moonlight; I shouldn't have wanted to go home without that; and we
have had the most beautiful time, haven't we, Mr. Giovanelli? If there
has been any danger, Eugenio can give me some pills. He has got some
splendid pills."

"I should advise you," said Winterbourne, "to drive home as fast as
possible and take one!"

"What you say is very wise," Giovanelli rejoined. "I will go and make
sure the carriage is at hand." And he went forward rapidly.

Daisy followed with Winterbourne. He kept looking at her; she seemed
not in the least embarrassed. Winterbourne said nothing; Daisy chattered
about the beauty of the place. "Well, I HAVE seen the Colosseum by
moonlight!" she exclaimed. "That's one good thing." Then, noticing
Winterbourne's silence, she asked him why he didn't speak. He made
no answer; he only began to laugh. They passed under one of the dark
archways; Giovanelli was in front with the carriage. Here Daisy stopped
a moment, looking at the young American. "DID you believe I was engaged,
the other day?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter what I believed the other day," said Winterbourne,
still laughing.

"Well, what do you believe now?"

"I believe that it makes very little difference whether you are engaged
or not!"

He felt the young girl's pretty eyes fixed upon him through the thick
gloom of the archway; she was apparently going to answer. But Giovanelli
hurried her forward. "Quick! quick!" he said; "if we get in by midnight
we are quite safe."

Daisy took her seat in the carriage, and the fortunate Italian placed
himself beside her. "Don't forget Eugenio's pills!" said Winterbourne as
he lifted his hat.

"I don't care," said Daisy in a little strange tone, "whether I have
Roman fever or not!" Upon this the cab driver cracked his whip, and they
rolled away over the desultory patches of the antique pavement.

Winterbourne, to do him justice, as it were, mentioned to no one that
he had encountered Miss Miller, at midnight, in the Colosseum with a
gentleman;