“Please take off my coat,” she gasped, leaning against the balustrade of the steep little stairs. “I’m going to amuse them until the Prima Donna comes--she isn’t here, at least I don’t see her anywhere. Louise is playing for them now.” Cahill could just catch the sounds of a piano above the shrill laughter of the children. They were quite alone in the little hallway, and as he bent down to take off her coat, a sudden, wild impulse overcame him. He forgot everything except that he loved her and must tell her so, and he held her tightly while he spoke rapidly and earnestly. It suddenly seemed preposterous to him that he could have dreamed of waiting another week to find out whether she loved him or not; she must tell him then and there, he said, quick, before anyone came. And although she did not, in fact, tell him anything at all, he was so content with her eyes as she turned toward him that, bending down, he gave her one quick kiss after another. And then the sound of the piano ceased and they heard a scramble of running feet at the door, which was thrown open by Miss Cahill. “Where are you? come in!” she cried. As Cahill and Miss Minot went into the room beyond, a girl came slowly down the stairs which they had just left. Her face was pitifully white and drawn, and there was a scared, surprised look in her eyes which was not good to see. When she reached the lowest step she stopped thoughtfully, leaning heavily against the stairs’ rail. “I saw them,” she said, softly and tremulously to herself. “I saw them, and there is no possibility of a mistake. I don’t understand anything about it--how it has happened--but it was _he_--it was _he_! If she loves him--and she does love him--I saw it in her face, there is but one thing for me to do--there is no other way now.” She put both hands on the banister and swayed slightly toward it in her effort to control herself. “She has been everything to me, has done everything for me. And if I love him--and I _do_ love him!--there is a million times more necessity for me to do it.” Her lips worked painfully and silently for a moment. An instant later she had crossed the narrow passageway, and throwing open the door, stood there smiling faintly, with the hurt, frightened look still on her pale face. Miss Minot was the first to see her. She moved toward her, swiftly catching both the girl’s hands in her own, and dragging her forward to where Cahill and his sister were standing. “The Prima Donna Contessa!” she said, gayly. “May I introduce Miss Cahill, Mr. Cahill----” but she stopped suddenly, for she saw Cahill take a step forward while a dull red suffused his face. “You!” he said--“you!” His voice sounded an octave higher than usual and there was a queer, excited ring to it. The girl drew back in a puzzled, half-offended way. But Cahill left his sister’s side and crossed quickly to where the girl was standing. “Great heavens!--you!--aren’t you--?” he began, but the girl interrupted him quickly.