"How ridiculous!" Marcello expressed his contempt of such girlish
reasoning by putting his rough little horse to a gallop.

"Men always say that," retorted Aurora, with exasperating calm. "I'll
race you to the tower for the first choice of oranges at dessert. They
are not very good this year, you know, and you like them."

"Don't be silly!" Marcello immediately reined his horse back to a walk,
and looked very dignified.

"It is impossible to please you," observed Aurora, slackening her pace
at once.

"It is impossible, if you abuse Folco."

"I am sure I did not mean to abuse him," Aurora answered meekly. "I
never abuse anybody."

"Women never do, I suppose," retorted Marcello, with a little snort of
dissatisfaction.

They were little more than children yet, and for pretty nearly five
minutes neither spoke a word, as their horses walked side by side.

"The keeper of the tower has more chickens this year," observed Aurora.
"I can see them running about."

This remark was evidently intended as an overture of reconciliation. It
acted like magic upon Marcello, who hated quarrelling, and was moreover
much more in love with the girl than he knew. Instinctively he put out