e uncontrollable bewilderment which appeared on his companion's face.

"Wedding-ring!" she murmured.

"He sends it back again to you," explained the Captain, still busy with
the candle.

A long-drawn "O--oh!" came from her lips, its lengthened intonation
seeming to express the dawning of comprehension. "Yes, of course," she
added very hastily.

"He loves you," said the Captain, facing her--and his task--again. "He
can't bear his own sorrow, nor to think of yours. He withdraws his
demand; your mere word to hold no communication with the person you
know of, without his knowledge, contents him. I am his messenger.
Give me your love to--to carry back to him."

"Did he tell you to say all that?" she asked.

"Ah, madame, should I say it otherwise? Should I who--" With a mighty
effort he checked himself, and resumed in constrained tones. "My dear
friend the Count bade me put this ring on your finger, madame, in token
of your--your reunion with him."

Her expression now was decidedly puzzling; certainly she was struggling
with some emotion, but it was not quite clear with what.

"Pray do it then," she said, and, drawing off the stout little gauntlet
she wore, she presented her hand to the Captain. Bowing low, he took
it lightly, and placed the holy symbol on the appropriate finger. But
he could not make up his mind to part from the hand without one
lingering look; and he observed with some surprise that the ring was
considerably too large for the finger. "It 's very loose," he
murmured, taking perhaps a sad, whimsical pleasure in the conceit of
seeing something symbolical in the fact to which he called attention;
in truth the ring fitted so ill as to be in great danger of dropping
off.

"Yes--or--it is rather loose. I--I hate tight rings, don't you?" She
smiled with vigour (if the expression be allowable) and added, "I 've
grown thinner too, I suppose."

"From grief?" asked he, and he could not keep a touch of bitterness out
of his voice.

"Well, anxiety," she amended. "I think I 'd better carry the ring in
my pocket. It would be a pity to lose it." She took off the symbol
and dropped it, somewhat carelessly it must be confessed, into a
side-pocket of her coat. Then she seated herself on the stool, and
looked up at the Captain. Her smile became rather mocking, as she
observed to Captain Dieppe:

"Andrea has charged you with this commission since--since last night, I
suppose?"

The words acted-