they appeared so big and bright and joyous now.

"When did you come?" she remembered to ask after a long time.

"I am come yesterday morning."

"Before we did?"

"Oh, yes; because I have very much here to do."

"In Genoa?"

"Yes; and Jack and I have been out all this morning also."

"And I never knew!"

He looked a little uneasy and rose to his feet.

"There is something very serious that I must say," he said, standing
before her.

She looked up in a little anxiety; a crowd of ordinary, every-day
thoughts suddenly swarmed into her mind.

"Do not be _genee_!" he implored parenthetically; "what I have to say is
so most important."

"I am not _genee_," she assured him.

"Then why do you not come and stand by me?" he asked. "If you love me
and will not show it, I am to be very unhappy always."

Rosina laughed; but she stood up and went close to him at once.

"I do love you," she said, "and I am not at all afraid to show it. You
see!"

He took her face between his hands and gazed down fondly upon her.

"Love is good, is it not?" he said. "There is a great joy to me to hold
you so, and reflect upon those stairs at Munich."

He paused--perhaps in consideration of the Munichian stairs--for a
moment, and then said:

"I have heard that there is love so strong that it crushes; if I ever
take hold of you so that your bones break, it is only that I think of
the stairs in Munich."

She laughed again.

"I will remember," she said, not at all frightened.

He took her two hands tightly within his own.

"I must now say that very serious thing."

"But I shall not run away."

"No, but you may be surprised and unarrange yourself before I can hold
you to stop."

"Go on," she begged.

"It is this: Jack and I have been out all this morning, because all
must be very ready; I--" he stopped.

"You are going with us?" she exclaimed joyously.

"No; I--"

"You are not going before we do?"

He smiled and shook his head.

Then he drew her very closely and tenderly to him and kissed her eyes
and forehead.

"It is that I am to be married to-morrow," he told her softly, and held
her tightly as the shock of his words ran quivering through her.

"And I!" she gasped, after two or three paralyzed seconds.

"Naturally you are to be married also."

She stared mutely up into the reassurance of his smile.

"Jack and I find that best," he said. "I have no time to go to America
to bring you again, and all is quite