too."

He had his cue. He rose, trembling a little. "Come, come," he said
heartily, "it's all right, it's all right-my sister. Let us go and see
the youngster. There, dry your eyes, and forget all about that woman.
She is only envious of you. Come, for his imperial highness!"

She was in a tumult of feeling. It was seldom that she had shown emotion
in the past two years, and it was the more ample when it did break forth.
But she dried her eyes, and together they went to the nursery. She
dismissed the nurse and they were left alone by the sleeping child. She
knelt at the head of the little cot, and touched the child's forehead
with her lips. He stooped down also beside it.

"He's a grand little fellow," he said. "Lali," he continued presently,
"it is time Frank came home. I am going to write for him. If he does
not come at once, I shall go and fetch him."

"Never! never!" Her eyes flashed angrily. "Promise that you will not.
Let him come when he is ready.

"He does not, care." She shuddered a little.

"But he will care when he comes, and you--you care for him, Lali?"

Again she shuddered, and a whiteness ran under the hot excitement of her
cheeks. She said nothing, but looked up at him, then dropped her face in
her hands.

"You do care for him, Lali," he said earnestly, almost solemnly, his lips