Strefford laughed and clapped his hand on his breast-pocket. "I
should be an ass not to: I've got a wire here saying they must
have it for another month at any price."

"What luck! I'm so glad. Who are they, by the way?"

He drew himself up out of the long chair in which he was
disjointedly lounging, and looked down at her with a smile.
"Another couple of love-sick idiots like you and Nick .... I
say, before I spend it all let's go out and buy something
ripping for Clarissa."

The days passed so quickly and radiantly that, but for her
concern for Clarissa, Susy would hardly have been conscious of
her hostess's protracted absence. Mrs. Vanderlyn had said:
"Four weeks at the latest," and the four weeks were over, and
she had neither arrived nor written to explain her non-
appearance. She had, in fact, given no sign of life since her
departure, save in the shape of a post-card which had reached
Clarissa the day after the Lansings' arrival, and in which Mrs.
Vanderlyn instructed her child to be awfully good, and not to
forget to feed the mongoose. Susy noticed that this missive had
been posted in Milan.

She communicated her apprehensions to Strefford. "I don't trust
that green-eyed nurse. She's forever with the younger
gondolier; and Clarissa's so awfully sharp. I don't see why
Ellie hasn't come: she was due last Monday."

Her companion laughed, and something in the sound of his laugh