Chillon, whom she saw, was just as hard, unforgiving, careless of his country's dearest interests; brother and sister were one heart of their one blood.

She mentioned the general impression in town, that the countess and only she could save the earl from Rome.

A flash of polite laughter was Chillon's response.

But after her inspection of the elegant athlete, she did fancy it possible for a young wife, even for Henrietta, to bear his name proudly in his absence--if that was worth a moment's consideration beside the serious issues involved in her appeal to the countess; especially when the suggestion regarding young wives left unprotected, delicately conveyed to the husband, had failed of its purpose.

The handsome husband's brows fluttered an interrogation, as if her clear-obscure should be further lighted; and it could not be done.