d
to marry him somewhere."

"When did you know about Genoa?"

"Last week. Your cousin wrote me."

Rosina's face was a study, but finally she began to laugh.

"Molly, I have been tricked and deceived at every turn by those two men.
Just listen while I tell you all about it."

Molly listened and was told all about it, from the Isar to the
Mediterranean, the roof of Milan's cathedral included.

"You wouldn't believe it, would you?" the heroine of all concluded when
she paused, altogether out of breath.

"Yes, I would. Because really I never saw two people so tremendously in
love before."

"And you thought I--cared for him when we were there in Zurich?"

"I didn't think; I could see it with my eyes shut."

"Really?"

"Sure! and as to him--" the signora shrugged her shoulders expressively.

Rosina threw her arms around her and kissed her.

"Oh, I am so delightfully glad to be so happy, and for you to be so
happy at the same time."

"Yes, I like to be happy myself," Molly confessed.

"You _are_ happy, aren't you? You do like being married, don't you?"

"Pleasantest two days of my life," declared the bride, with apparent
sincerity.

"Do you think your husband is as good-looking as monsieur?"

Molly started violently.

"_As good-looking!_ Why, my dear, didn't I tell you that he was the--Oh,
if I _only_ had my locket!"

"Never mind," Rosina said soothingly; "you can think he's handsomest, if
you like, I don't mind. At any rate, he isn't a great musician."

"No," said Molly proudly; "but he's a colonel, and a colonel ranks a
genius anywhere, any day, in Europe."

"All right," said the _fiancee_ amicably; "but, dear, didn't you think
that it was awful in Jack to tell me that he'd gone crazy, and frighten
me half to death?"

"It must have been a terrible blow when you found that he hadn't cared
enough to go crazy, after all."

"_Molly!_"

"And however are you going to exist with the _'temperament jaloux_'?"

"I never minded that a bit. Every time he is angry he is _so_ adorable
afterwards. We shall have such lovely makings-up. Oh, I expect to just
revel in his rages!"

Madame La Francesca's dimples danced afresh.

"And I," she said, "I was raised with a hot-headed Irish father and four
hot-headed Irish brothers, and I've been engaged to one peppery
Scotchman and to frequent red-peppery continentals, so I find my ideal
in an Italian who is, as the French say, '_Doux comme un agneau._'"

"I thou