"Martha, isn't it too funny, the whole thing!" she said, between
her gurgles. "Can't you laugh, you old goose! and to think how
sorry you will be, you were so horrid, when I am gone, because, of
course, you know you cannot keep me once I make up my mind to go."

"Mrs. Ebley said I was to have no conversation with you, Miss,"
Martha said, glumly, at which Stella laughed afresh.

Meanwhile Count Roumovski had made all arrangements at the
Excelsior Hotel, and after lunch sat quietly in the hall awaiting
his beloved. Mrs. Ebley had felt too upset to go down to the
restaurant, so the two clergymen were there alone, and glanced
wrathfully at the imperturbable face of Count Roumovski seated at
his usual table, with his air of detached aloofness and perfect
calm. They, on the contrary, were so boiling with rage that they
knew not what they ate.

After lunch it had been decided that the party should leave the
Grand and take the five o'clock train to Florence, and their
preparations were made.

Mrs. Ebley had herself been laboriously packing so as not to take
Martha from her post, and orders were whispered to that faithful
Abigail through Stella's letter slide to pack Miss Rawson's things
at once.

Stella watched these preparations serenely, and gave Martha
directions as to what to put on the top. Then when all was
finished and she had donned her hat, she rang the electric bell
for the waiter, and when he knocked at the door she calmly bade