o indeed was well worth their pains; but,
to their surprise, the subordinate received their attentions with great
coldness. Having entered her protest against what was going on, and
having resisted the contagion of example, it was natural she should
somewhat exaggerate her prudery, for it is hard to hit just the right
point in such reaction. The result was, she made herself so disagreeable
to Miss Sparks that the latter determined on getting rid of her as
tactfully as possible.

Their parting took place on the day after an excursion to the Villa
Sommariva, where Miss Sparks and her little court had behaved with their
usual noise and rudeness. They had gone there ostensibly to see the
pictures, about which none of them cared anything, for Nora, wherever
she was, never liked any one to pay attention to anybody or to look at
anything but her own noisy, all-pervading self.

It so happened that at the most riotous moment of the picnic an old
gentleman passed near the lively crowd. He was quite inoffensive,
pleasant-mannered, and walked leaning on his cane, yet, had the statue
of the Commander in Don Juan suddenly appeared it could not have
produced such consternation as his presence did on Jacqueline, when,
after a moment's hesitation, he bowed to her. She recognized in him a
friend of Madame d'Argy, M. Martel, whom she had often met at her house
in Paris and at Lizerolles. When he recognized her, she fancied she had
seen pass over his face a look of painful surprise. He would surely tell
how he had met her; what would her old friends think of her? What would
Fred? For some time past she had thought more than ever before of what
Fred would think of her. The more she grew disgusted with the men she
met, the more she appreciated his good qualities, and the more she
thought of the honest, faithful love he had offered her--love that she
had so madly thrown away. She never should meet such love again, she
thought. It was the idea of how Fred would blame her when he heard
what she pictured to herself the old gentleman would say of her, that
suddenly decided her to leave Bellagio.

She told Mr. Sparks that evening that she was not strong enough for such
duties as were required of a companion.

He looked at her with pity and annoyance.

"I should have thought you had more energy. How do you expect to live by
work if you are not strong enough for pleasure?"

"Pleasure needs strength as well as labor," she said, smiling; "I woul