.

." "Oh, I don't want to know, I understand it all, I am as old as the world." "Yes," said Mills thoughtfully, "you are not a leaf, you might have been a tornado yourself." "Upon my word," she said, "there was a time that they thought I could carry him off, away from them all--beyond them all.

Verily, I am not very proud of their fears.

There was nothing reckless there worthy of a great passion.

There was nothing sad there worthy of a great tenderness." "And is _this_ the word of the Venetian riddle ?" asked Mills, fixing her with his keen eyes.
"If it pleases you to think so, Senor," she said indifferently.