But his master was too excited to note it. "On my word, I don't know who she is, Giovanni. She has written such charming letters! She may be only a singer; she may be a Russian princess in exile; she may be an adventuress of the most formidable type; she may be an American girl. One thing, she is not English. English women as I have found them lack the essential spirit of adventure." "Ah!" Giovanni stroked his lips doubtfully. "It is not like the signore to plunge blindly into adventures like this." "The very word, blindly. I go blindfolded, _amico_. What do you think of that?" "Blindfolded?" Giovanni was horrified. "It is a trap!" he cried. "They will assassinate you! No, you shall not go! In Rome, at the carnivals, it is an old game. They will rob you." "You are dreaming. This is America; things are not done that way here. And nothing now can turn me aside." Hillard was all the while finishing his toilet. "I suppose not. But blindfolded!" "Take the number of the cab as I get in. If anything should happen, give the number to the police." Giovanni, with a sharp movement of the hands, expressed his resignation to the worst. He knew the futility of arguing with his master. But he followed him down to the hall and tied on the bandage himself. He was honest about it, too, for Hillard could see nothing. Then the messenger-boy took him by the hand and led him to the carriage. As the two were climbing in, Giovanni spoke rapidly in his native tongue. "There is no number on the carriage!" "Too late to bother now." The carriage rolled off toward the club, where the dinner, hot and smoking, was taken on. "Joinin' th' Elks?" asked the boy, when they were well under way once more. "No, it's a seance. They are going to call up my fate round a table." "Huh? Aw, go-wan! Dey don't call up no ghosts wit' French cider and hot boids." The boy relapsed into silence. Hillard tried to follow the turns of the carriage, but these were too many; and so he resigned himself to become totally lost. By and by the carriage stopped. "Dis is where we alights, me loid!" the boy jeered. "An' no lookin', mind." Hillard found the carriage steps and landed safely. He stood for a moment, listening. They were in a quiet part of the city; no elevated or surface cars were near. He was assured that the location was exclusive. Garrets are not to be found in quiet places. "Look out fer th' steps," said the boy, again taking Hillard by the hand. "And you be careful of that basket." "I ain't lettin' it drop any." Winding steps, thought the blindfolded man. He could recollect none. It seemed to him that they stood there five minutes before the door opened. When it did, the boy passed in the basket and resolutely pushed Hillard into the hall. The door closed gently, and the adventure was begun. Whither would it lead him? "Take off the bandage the signore may now," said a voice in broken English.