"You are not going to mix that Château
Margaux!" cried Mr. Trefalden.

"Why not?"

"Because it is sacrilege to spoil the flavour.'

"But I am thirsty."

"So much the better.  Your palate is all the
more susceptible. Try the first glass pure, at all
events."

Saxon submitted, and emptied his glass at a
draught.

"That is delicious," said he.

"You really think so?"

"Unquestionably."

"You prefer it to the vin ordinaire?"

"I do indeed."

Mr. Trefalden drew a deep breath of satisfaction.

"Allons!" said he.  "Then there is some
little hope for you, Saxon, after all."

"But —"

"But what?"

Saxon blushed and hesitated.

"But I am not sure," said he, "that I prefer
it to the vin d'Asti."

Mr. Trefalden leaned back in his chair and
groaned aloud.

"I'm sure I'm very sorry," laughed Saxon,
with a comic look, half shy, half penitent.  "But
— but it isn't my fault, is it?"

Before Mr. Trefalden could reply to this appeal,
there was a rustling of silk, and a sound of voices
in the corridor, and a lady and gentleman entered
the salon, conversing earnestly.  Seeing others
in the room, they checked themselves.  In the
same instant Mr. Trefalden, who sat partly
turned towards the door, rose and exclaimed:

"Mademoiselle Collonna!"

The lady put out her hand.

"You here, Mr. Trefalden?" said she.  "Padre
mio, you remember Mr. Trefalden?"

The gentleman, who held his hat in one hand and
a bundle of letters and papers in the other, bowed
somewhat distantly, and said he believed he had
had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Trefalden before.

"Yes, at Castletowers," replied the lawyer.

The gentleman's dark face lighted up instantly,
and, laying his hat aside, he also advanced to
shake hands.

"Forgive me," he said, " I did not remember
that you were a friend of Lord Castletowers.
Have you seen him lately?  I hope you are well.
This is a charming spot.  Have you been here
long?  We have only this moment arrived."

He asked questions without waiting for replies,
and spoke hurriedly and abstractedly, as if his
thoughts were busy elsewhere all the time.  Both
his accent and his daughter's were slightly
foreign, but his was more foreign than hers.

"I only came yesterday," replied Mr.Trefalden,
"and I propose to stay here for a week or
two.  May one venture to hope that you are
about to do the same?"

The young lady shook her head.  Her father
had already moved away to the opposite side of
the room, and was examining his letters.

"We are only waiting to breakfast while our
vetturino feeds his horses," said she; "and we
hope to reach Chur in time for the mid-day
train."

"A short sojourn," said Mr. Trefalden.

"Yes; I am sorry for it. We have travelled
by this road very often, and always in haste. The
place, I am sure, would repay investigation.  It
is very beautiful."

"You come from Italy, I suppose?"

"Yes, from Milan."

"And are, of course, devoted as ever to the
good cause?"

Her eyes seemed to flash and dilate as she
lifted them suddenly upon her interrogator.

"You know, Mr. Trefalden," said she, " that
we live for no other.  But why do you call it the
'good' cause?  You have never joined us —you
have never helped us.  I had no idea that you
deemed it a good cause."

"Then you did me injustice," replied the
lawyer, with an unembarrassed smile.  "The
liberty and unity of a great people must be a
good cause.  I should blush for my opinions if I
did not think so."

"Then why not give us the support of your
name?"

"Because it would bring no support with it.
I am an obscure man.  I have neither wealth nor
influence."

"Even if that were so, it would be of little
importance," said Mademoiselle Colonna, eagerly.
"Every volunteer is precious—even the humblest
and weakest.  But you are neither, Mr.
Trefalden.  You are far from being an obscure
man.  You are a very brilliant man —nay, I
mean no compliment. I only repeat what I have
often heard.  I know that you have talent, and
I am sure you are not without influence. You
would be a most welcome accession to our
staff."

"Indeed, Mademoiselle Colonna, you over-estimate
me in every way."

"I do not think so."

"I ought also to tell you, that I am a very
busy man.  My whole life is absorbed by my
professional duties."

"It is always possible to find time for good
deeds," replied the lady.

"I fear, not always."

"Enfin, we are not exacting.  To those friends
who can give us but their names and their
sympathies, we are grateful.  You will be one of
those, I am sure."

"It is better to give nothing, than to give
that which is worthless," said Mr. Trefalden.

Mademoiselle Colonna met this reply with a
slight curl of the lip, and another flash of her
magnificent eyes.

"Those who are not for Italy are against her,
Mr. Trefalden," she said, coldly, and turned
away.

The lawyer recovered his position with perfect
tact.

"I cannot allow Mademoiselle Colonna to