--going to forsake me?"

"How can you ask me? Won't you show me your letter, Christina?"

"No, John," she answered, mimicking my impassioned tones. "I may steal
the President's savings, but I respect his confidence."

"You see what he says to me about McGregor."

"Yes," said the signorina. "It is not, you know, news to me. But,
curious to relate, the colonel has just been here himself and told
me the same thing. The colonel has not a nice way of making love,
Jack--not so nice as yours nearly."

Thus encouraged, I went and sat down by her. I believe I took her
hand.

"You don't love him?"

"Not at all," she replied.

I must beg to be excused recording the exact terms in which I placed
my hand and heart at the signorina's disposal. I was extremely
vehement and highly absurd, but she did not appear to be displeased.

"I like you very much, Jack," she said, "and it's very sweet of you to
have made a revolution for me. It was for me, Jack?"

"Of course it was, my darling," I promptly replied.

"But you know, Jack, I don't see how we're much better off. Indeed, in
a way it's worse. The President wouldn't let anybody else marry me,
but he wasn't so peremptory as the colonel. The colonel declares he
will marry me this day week!"

"We'll see about that," said I savagely.

"Another revolution, Jack?" asked the signorina.

"You needn't laugh at me," I said sulkily.

"Poor boy! What are we idyllic lovers to do?"

"I don't believe you're a bit in earnest."

"Yes, I am, Jack--now." Then she went on, with a sort of playful pity,
"Look at my savage, jealous, broken-hearted Jack."

I caught her in my arms and kissed her, whispering hotly:

"You will be true to me, sweet?"

"Let me go," she said. Then, leaning over me as I flung myself back in
a chair, "It's pleasant while it lasts; try not to be broken-hearted
if it doesn't last."

"If you love me, why don't you come with me out of this sink of
iniquity?"

"Run away with you?" she asked, with open amazement. "Do you think
that we're the sort of people, for a romantic elopement? I am very
earthy. And so are you, Jack, dear--nice earth, but earth, Jack."

There was a good deal of truth in this remark. We were not an ideal
pair for love in a cottage.

"Yes," I said. "I've got no money."

"I've got a little money, but not much. I've been paying debts," she
added proudly.

"I haven't been even doing that. And I'm not quite equal to purloining
that three hun