impertinent. The lieutenant stepped to his side and said something low
and rapid, something which should have made a right-minded donkey-driver
touch his hat and slink off. But Tony held his ground with a laugh which
was more impertinent than the stare had been. The lieutenant's face
flushed angrily, and his hand half instinctively went to his sword.
Constance stepped forward.

'Tony! I shall have no further need of your services. You may go.'

Tony suddenly came to his senses.

'I--beg your pardon, Miss Wilder,' he stammered.

'I shall not want you again; please go.' She turned her back and joined
the others.

The two officers with final salutes took themselves off. Miss Hazel
hurried indoors to make ready for dinner; Mr. Wilder followed in her
wake, muttering something about finding the change to pay Tony. Constance
stood where they left her, staring at the pavement with hotly burning
cheeks.

'Miss Wilder!' Tony crossed to her side; his manner was humble--actually
humble--the usual mocking undertone in his voice was missing. 'Really I'm
awfully sorry to have caused you annoyance; it was unpardonable.'

Constance turned toward him.

'Yes, Tony, I think it was. Your position does not give you the right to
insult my guests.'

Tony stiffened slightly.

'I acknowledge that I insulted him, and I'm sorry. But he insulted me,
for the matter of that. I didn't like the way he looked at me, any more
than he liked the way I looked at him.'

'There is a certain deference, Tony, which an officer in the Royal
Italian Army has a right to expect from a donkey-driver.'

Tony shrugged.

'It is a difficult position to hold, Miss Wilder. A donkey-driver, I
find, plays the same accommodating role as the family watch-dog. You pat
him when you choose; you kick him when you choose; and he is supposed to
swallow both attentions with equal grace.'

'You should have chosen another profession.'

'Naturally, I was not flattered to find that your real reason for staying
at home to-day, was that you were expecting more entertaining callers.'

'Is there any use in discussing it further? I am not going to climb any
more mountains, and I shall not, as I told you, need a donkey-man again.'

'Then I'm discharged?'

'If you wish to put it so. You must see for yourself that the play has
gone far enough. However, it has been amusing, and we will at least part
friends.'

She held out her hand; it was a mark of definite dismissal rat