few weeks ago, and their step-mother, having been ordered change of air, had chosen Seon, because the baths there had been of use to her on a former occasion. They had been very happy to leave school, and were equally happy to go to the country—especially to Seon. “And why especially to Seon?” asked Hamilton. “Oh, because I have heard so much of it from one of my school friends.” “Perhaps, then, you can give me some information. I have not the least idea what sort of a place it is.” “I believe it is a great old monastery, with long corridors, where one might expect to meet the ghosts of the monks stalking about—and the windows look into dark courts—and on a moonlight night it is quite romantic walking in the cloisters!” “And did your friend wander about quite alone and by moonlight in such a place?” “Oh, she was not _alone_,” said Crescenz, smiling, and shaking her head slyly. “So I imagined—probably her mother or her sister walked with her.” “Her mother was not there, and her brother-in-law would not allow her sister to walk by moonlight.” “What a barbarian he must have been! Who, then, could have been her companion? It could hardly have been her father?” Crescenz laughed outright. “Oh, no; had it been her father, Lina would not have been sent back to school again. They said she had done all sorts of wild things at home; that her head was full of nonsense, and she must be cured.” “And was she cured?” “I suppose so, for some time after she left us again she married an ugly old doctor. Oh, he is so ugly! His chin sticks out _so_!” In explanation she thrust out her full red underlip, forming thereby a better personification of a pretty naughty child than an ugly old doctor. “I was allowed to be her bridesmaid,” she continued, “and as I knew all about Theodor, I asked her if she really were as happy as she seemed to be. And—can you believe it?—she said that all the fine things she had told me of Seon and first love was stuff and nonsense—that she had invited Theodor to her wedding, and intended to dance with him in the evening!” “In fact, the affair with Theodor was merely a flirtation,” observed Hamilton. “I don’t know what that means,” she answered, looking inquiringly in his face; “it is an English word, I suppose.” “Quite English,” said Hamilton, laughing; “but your friend seems to have understood the meaning perfectly.” “And yet she did not take any lessons in English,” said Crescenz, thoughtfully; “but I remember her saying to me at school that, if she could not marry Theodor, she would go into a nunnery! And then to be satisfied with ugly old Dr. Berger?” “You would not have acted so?” inquired Hamilton.