inscribed for ever on the roll of
honour. In time, when the political situation changed, an effort would
be made to avenge their death, no doubt; for every man who had been
murdered a hundred would be slain, or more, if possible, till even a
Scythian might feel satisfied that their angry spirits were appeased
by blood. Angela knew nothing of all this, for she never left the
house except to go to early mass every day, and Madame Bernard never
spoke of the dead man nor of the lost expedition.

When the governess came home, a little after sunset, Angela was still
sitting before the picture, her chin resting on her hand and her elbow
on her knee as she leaned forward to see better in the failing light.
The girl turned her head with a bright smile, and Madame Bernard
started in surprise when she saw the portrait.

'It is he!' she cried. 'It is he, to the very life!'

'Yes,' Angela answered softly, 'it is Giovanni. He has been telling me
that I must do my part, as he did his. He is waiting for me, but I
cannot go to him till my share is done.'

She was gazing at the face again, while Madame Bernard looked from it
to her in undisguised astonishment.

'I do not understand, my dear,' she said very gently. 'Who has brought
you this wonderful picture?'

She hardly expected an explanation, and she guessed that the portrait
was Durand's work, for few living painters could have made such a
likeness, and none would have painted it in that way, which was
especially his own. To her surprise Angela turned on her chair without
rising, and told her just what had happened, since he had come in
early in the afternoon bringing the picture with him. When she had
finished she turned to it again, as if there were nothing more to be
said, and at that moment Coco began to talk in a tone that made
further conversation impossible. Madame Bernard took him on her hand
and disappeared with him.

When she came back, Angela was standing on a chair holding up the
portrait with both hands and trying to hang it by the inner edge of
the frame on an old nail she had found already driven into the wall.
Madame Bernard at once began to help her, as if not at all surprised
at her sudden energy, though it seemed nothing less than miraculous.

They succeeded at last, and both got down from their chairs and drew
back two steps to judge of the effect.

'It is a little too high,' Angela said thoughtfully. To-morrow I will
get a cord and two rings to screw