Ah!" he exclaimed, glancing at Sister Gabrielle, who had also risen to her feet, "good day, my Sister." "Sister Gabrielle," said Corona, as an introduction; "she is good enough to be my companion in solitude." To tell the truth, Corona felt uneasy; but the sensation was somehow rather pleasurable, although it crossed her mind that the Prince might have heard of her excursion, and had possibly come to find out why she had been so near to his place.

She boldly faced the situation.
"I nearly came upon you the other day as unexpectedly as you have visited me," she said with a smile.

"I had a fancy to look over into your valley, and when I reached the top of the hill I found I was almost in your house." "I wish you had quite been there," returned the Prince.

"Of course I heard that you had been seen, and we guessed you had stumbled upon us in some mountain excursion.

My son rode all the way to Aquaviva to see the man who had spoken with you." Saracinesca said this as though it were perfectly natural, helping himself to the dish the servant offered him.