he would certainly die in the arms of the Magellan housekeeper. This got a smile out of him. He sat down beside her, and the two laughed and talked with a freedom which presently drew the attention of the neighboring tables, and made Ashe uncomfortable. He rose, paid the bill, and succeeded in carrying the whole party off to the Piazza, in search of coffee. But here again Kitty's extravagances, the provocation of her light loveliness, as she sat toying with a fresh cigarette and "chaffing" Lord Magellan, drew a disagreeable amount of notice from the Italians passing by. "Mother, let's go!" said the angry beauty, imperiously, in her mother's ear. "I don't like to be seen with Lady Kitty! She's impossible!" And with cold farewells the three ladies departed. Then Kitty sprang up and threw away her cigarette. "How those girls bully their mother!" she said, with scorn. "However, it serves her right. I'm sure she bullied hers. Well, now we must go and do something. Ta-ta!" Lord Magellan, to whom she offered another casual finger, wanted to know why he was dismissed. If they were going sight-seeing, might he not come with them?" "Oh no!" said Kitty, calmly. "Sight--seeing with people you don't really know is too trying to the temper. Even with one's best friend it's risky." "Where are you? May I call?" said the young man. "We're always out," was Kitty's careless reply. "But--" She considered-- "Would you like to see the Palazzo Vercelli?" "That magnificent place on the Grand Canal? Very much." "Meet me there to-morrow afternoon," said Kitty. "Four o'clock." "Delighted!" said Lord Magellan, making a note on his shirt-cuff. "And who lives there?" "My mother," said Kitty, abruptly, and walked away. Ashe followed her in discomfort. This young man was the son of a certain Lady Magellan, an intimate friend of Lady Tranmore's--one of the noblest women of her generation, pure, high-minded, spiritual, to whom neither an ugly word nor thought was possible. It annoyed him that either he or Kitty should be introducing _her_ son to Madame d'Estrées. It was really tiresome of Kitty! Rich young men with characters yet indeterminate were not to be lightly brought in contact with Madame d'Estrées. Kitty could not be ignorant of it--poor child! It had been one of her reckless strokes, and Ashe was conscious of a sharp annoyance. However, he said nothing. He followed his companions from church to church, till pictures became an abomination to him. Then he pleaded letters, and went to the club. "Will you call on maman to-morrow?" said Kitty, as he turned away, looking at him a little askance. She knew that he had disapproved of her invitation to Lord Magellan. Why had she given it? She didn't know. There seemed to be a kind of revived mischief and fever in the blood, driving her to these foolish and ill-considered things. Ashe met her question with a shake of the head and the remark, in a decided tone, that he should be too busy.