ok her head.

'He's always been away when I've visited Nan--and for six years I've been
waiting.' She straightened up with an air of determination. 'But now, if
he's on the continent of Europe, I'll get him!'

'And what shall you do with him?' her father mildly inquired.

'Do with him? I'll make him take it back; I'll make him eat that word
kid!'

'H'm!' said her father. 'I hope you'll get him; he might act as an
antidote to some of these officers.'

They had run in under the shadow of the mountain and the keel grated on
the shore. Constance raised her eyes and studied the towering crag above
their heads; when she lowered them again, her gaze for an instant met
Tony's. There was a new light in his eyes--amusement, triumph, something
entirely baffling. He gave her the intangible feeling of having at last
got the mastery of the situation.

CHAPTER XI

The sun was setting behind Monte Maggiore, the fishing smacks were coming
home, Luigi had long since carried the tea things into the house; but
still the two callers lingered on the terrace of Villa Rosa. It was
Lieutenant di Ferara's place to go first since he had come first, and
Captain Coroloni doggedly held his post until such time as his junior
officer should see fit to take himself off. The captain knew, as well as
every one else at the officers' mess, that in the end the lieutenant
would be the favoured man; for he was a son of Count Guido di Ferara, of
Turin, and titles are at a premium in the American market. But still the
marriage contract was not signed yet, and the fact remained that the
captain had come last; accordingly he waited.

They had been there fully two hours, and poor Miss Hazel was worn with
the strain. She sat nervously on the edge of her chair, and leaned
forward with clasped hands listening intently. It required very keen
attention to keep the run of either the captain's or the lieutenant's
English. A few days before she had laughed at what seemed to be a funny
story, and had later learned that it was an announcement of the death of
the lieutenant's grandmother. To-day she confined her answers to
inarticulate murmurs which might be interpreted as either assents or
negations as the case required.

Constance, however, was buoyantly at her ease; she loved nothing better
than the excitement of a difficult situation. As she bridged over pauses,
and unobtrusively translated from the officer's English into real
English, she at the same