ago. You know we look upon a man who kisses and tells
as the greatest coward and villain possible."

"Certainly," said the German, gathering up his basket of curiosities,
"when he tells anything about a girl which is previously unknown, he
must be so. But in this case, as you must be aware, it was a public
matter which was the common talk of Rome, so that you are not really
doing Miss Mary Saunderson any injury by discussing her case with me.
But still, I respect your scruples; and so good night!"

"Wait a bit, Burger," said Kennedy, laying his hand upon the other's
arm; "I am very keen upon this catacomb business, and I can't let it
drop quite so easily. Would you mind asking me something else in
return--something not quite so eccentric this time?"

"No, no; you have refused, and there is an end of it," said Burger, with
his basket on his arm. "No doubt you are quite right not to answer, and
no doubt I am quite right also--and so again, my dear Kennedy, good
night!"

The Englishman watched Burger cross the room, and he had his hand on the
handle of the door before his host sprang up with the air of a man who
is making the best of that which cannot be helped. "Hold on, old
fellow," said he. "I think you are behaving in a most ridiculous
fashion, but still, if this is your condition, I suppose that I must
submit to it. I hate saying anything about a girl, but, as you say, it
is all over Rome, and I don't suppose I can tell you anything which you
do not know already. What was it you wanted to know?"

The German came back to the stove, and, laying down his basket, he sank
into his chair once more. "May I have another cigar?" said he. "Thank
you very much! I never smoke when I work, but I enjoy a chat much more
when I am under the influence of tobacco. Now, as regards this young
lady, with whom you had this little adventure. What in the world has
become of her?"

"She is at home with her own people."

"Oh, really--in England?"

"Yes."

"What part of England--London?"

"No, Twickenham."

"You must excuse my curiosity, my dear Kennedy, and you must put it down
to my ignorance of the world. No doubt it is quite a simple thing to
persuade a young lady to go off with you for three weeks or so, and then
to hand her over to her own family at--what did you call the place?"

"Twickenham."

"Quite so--at Twickenham. But it is something so entirely outside my
own experience that I cannot even imagine how