y called
me a creole on my return from San Domingo."

Murat's jaw fell. "Do you mean that your husband thought I meant _you_?"
he asked.

"Prince Borghese is too polite a man to voice such a suspicion, and I am
too clever a woman to show that I have guessed it, but that is reason
enough why I cannot accept my sister's invitation to take possession of
the entrancing Neapolitan villa which you so kindly offer me."

"You are like your mother. You refuse my peace-offerings; you will not
visit us?"

"Peace-offerings, yes; but make me some offerings of war, that fine
army, for instance; and, by the way, if you will give me a yacht instead
of the villa I may consent to be your guest. Meantime we understand each
other. I will give immediate orders to my people that no fire is on any
account to be lighted in the Pope's kitchens, as the chimneys are
unsafe. Should I perceive a column of smoke rising from them I shall
know that you are here, and I will come to you. If, on the other hand, I
hear that you are in this vicinity on the business of which we spoke, I
shall make Mondragone my residence; and should you perceive my smoke
signal----"

"Then," he interrupted, speaking very low, but so distinctly that
Celio's heart froze as he listened--"then, Paulette, be the danger what
it may, heaven nor hell shall keep me from you."

They parted in the most commonplace manner, the Princess returning to
Rome after the conclusion of the repast, but, though she appeared to
sleep all the way, Celio marked when she alighted that her face,
illuminated by the strong glare that blazed from the open door of the
villa, was haggard as from long vigils.

Deeply distressed, the poor dragon spent a sleepless night, but towards
morning an inspiration came to him. He saw his way to saving his lady
without arousing the suspicions of her husband. She had forbidden the
use of the Pope's chimneys to the guardian of the villa, plainly that
they should serve solely as signals between herself and Murat. But the
reason which she had given for their disuse, that they were unsafe,
furnished the secretary with his pretext, and he wrote his master urging
that they should be taken down.

Before the Prince had time to reply the event which he had dreaded took
place. The Princess, in direct opposition to her husband's parting
request, announced her determination to visit her sister at Naples. It
was not in her secretary's province to remonstrate, and he was so