I saw my young man's brave front desert him. His mouth
drooped, and his eyes had an appearance of having gazed long at a bright
light. I saw that he, unhappy one, was at last too sure what her answer
would be.

For myself, I said very little--I waited. I hoped and believed Antonio
would attack me in his clever, disguised way, for he had always hated
me and my dead brother, and he had never failed to prove himself too
skilful for us. In my expectancy of his assault there was no mistake. I
comprehended Antonio very well, and I knew that he feared I might seek
to do him an injury, particularly after my inspired speech and gesture
upon the terrace. Also, I felt that he would, if possible, anticipate
my attempt and strike first. I was willing; for I thought myself in
possession of his vulnerable point--never dreaming that he might know my
own!

At last when he, with the coffee and cigarettes, took the knife in his
hand, he placed a veil over the point. He began, laughingly, with the
picture of a pickpocket he had helped to catch in London. London was
greatly inhabited by pickpockets, according to Antonio's declaration.
Yet, he continued, it was nothing in comparison to Paris. Paris was
the rendezvous, the world's home, for the criminals, adventurers,
and rascals if the world, English, Spanish, South-Americans,
North-Americans,--and even Italians! One must beware of people one had
met in Paris!

"Of course," he concluded, with a most amiable smile, "there are many
good people there also. That is not to be forgotten. If I should dare
to make a risk on such a trifle, for instance, I would lay wager that
you"--he nodded toward Poor Jr.--"made the acquaintance of Ansolini in
Paris?"

This was of the greatest ugliness in its underneath significance, though
the manner was disarming. Antonio's smile was so cheerful, his eye-glass
so twinkling, that none of them could have been sure he truly meant
anything harmful of me, though Poor Jr. looked up, puzzled and frowning.

Before he could answer I pulled myself altogether, as they say, and
leaned forward, resting my elbows upon the table. "It is true," and I
tried to smile as amiably as Antonio. "These coincidences occur. You
meet all the great frauds of the world in Paris. Was it not there"--I
turned to Mrs. Landry--"that you met the young Prince here?"

At this there was no mistaking that the others perceived. The secret
battle had begun and was not secret. I saw a wild gleam i