ll have to. It will be a
great good for her. I shall be very tender with her and most severe,
that is what is best for a woman."

"Oh, Rosina!" said Jack, and in his tone resounded a succession of many
feelings each more indescribable than its predecessor.

"It is not needful that you kiss her," the lover went on, coming back
across the room; "I wish that you would not, that does me no pleasure to
watch."

"I don't care anything about kissing her," the cousin replied; "Rosina's
novelty in kisses was over for me before I was five years old. Don't you
remember--"

Some one rapped at the door.

"_Entrez!_" they cried in chorus.

It was a _garcon_ with a card.

"'Madame La Francesca,'" said Rosina, reading. "Who is Madame La
Francesca?"

The two men exchanged glances.

"Where is the lady?" Jack asked.

"She is gone at once to madame's room," the boy replied.

"You'd better go and see who's in your room," Jack suggested; "and you,"
he added, turning to her _fiance_, "you must come with me and attend to
what yet remains to be done."

Rosina hesitated, her hand upon the door-knob.

"I will come at once," she told the boy, who was waiting, and then she
looked towards the man by the chimney-piece.

"Never mind me," said her cousin kindly; "I'll look out of the window,
if you wish."

Von Ibn threw his cigarette into the grate.

"You need not look from the window," he said, laughing; "you may look
straight to us, and see two most happy."

He put his hand on either side of her smile and took the smile to
himself. Then she went out.

"I can't tell you," the American said warmly, "how glad I am for you
both. I do honestly think that she'll make you very happy. And I hope
and pray that you'll be good to her."

"I shall be good to her," said his friend seriously; "I know her well.
She is very '_tendre_' and I love her much; she will not have her own
will always, but with her love she will do mine. It is that that makes
the life so happy with us. We give much affection and little liberty; it
is not well for you, because with you all is so different. In America it
is all liberty, and no time for love."

"Maybe not," said Jack carelessly; "but we make a lot of money all the
same." He picked up his ulster with the deer-horn buttons. "You're
coming, aren't you?" he said.

The other man sought an eminently correct overcoat and silk hat in the
adjoining room.

"_Naturlich_," he said, "you know that I am of at an