I am sorry you were away, father, you would have enjoyed him; his English was excellent .-- Did he tell you he saw me, Gustavo ?' '_Si_, signorina, he tell me.' 'What did he say?
Did he think I was nice ?' Gustavo looked embarrassed.
'I--I no remember, signorina.' She laughed and to his relief changed the subject.
'Those English ladies who are staying here--what do they look like?
Are they young ?' Gustavo delivered himself of an inimitable gesture which suggested that the English ladies had entered the bounds of that indefinite period when the subject of age must be politely waived.
'They are tall, signorina, and of a thinness--you would not believe it possible.' 'I see! And so the poor young man was bored ?' Gustavo bowed vaguely.

He saw no connexion.
'He was awfully good-looking,' she added with a sigh.

'I'm afraid I made a mistake.

It would be rather fun, don't you think, Dad, to have an entertaining young American gentleman about ?' 'Ump!' he grunted.

'I thought you were so immensely satisfied with the officers.' 'Oh, I am,' she agreed with a shrug which dismissed for ever the young American gentleman.
'Well, Gustavo,' she added in a business-like tone, 'I will tell you why we called.