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o'clock！ Nick had no doubt come back long ago。 Susy hurried up
the stairs； reassured by the mere thought of his nearness。 She
knew that when their eyes and their lips met it would be
impossible for anything to keep them apart。
The gondolier dozing on the landing roused himself to receive
her； and to proffer two envelopes。 The upper one was a telegram
for Strefford： she threw it down again and paused under the
lantern hanging from the painted vault； the other envelope in
her hand。 The address it bore was in Nick's writing。 〃When did
the signore leave this for me？ Has he gone out again？〃
Gone out again？ But the signore had not come in since dinner：
of that the gondolier was positive； as he had been on duty all
the evening。 A boy had brought the letteran unknown boy： he
had left it without waiting。 It must have been about half an
hour after the signora had herself gone out with her guests。
Susy； hardly hearing him； fled on to her own room； and there；
beside the very lamp which； two months before； had illuminated
Ellie Vanderlyn's fatal letter； she opened Nick's。
〃Don't think me hard on you； dear； but I've got to work this
thing out by myself。 The sooner the better…don't you agree？ So
I'm taking the express to Milan presently。 You'll get a proper
letter in a day or two。 I wish I could think； now； of something
to say that would show you I'm not a brutebut I can't。 N。 L。 〃
There was not much of the night left in which to sleep； even had
a semblance of sleep been achievable。 The letter fell from
Susy's hands； and she crept out onto the balcony and cowered
there； her forehead pressed against the balustrade； the dawn
wind stirring in her thin laces。 Through her closed eyelids and
the tightly…clenched fingers pressed against them； she felt the
penetration of the growing light； the relentless advance of
another daya day without purpose and without meaninga day
without Nick。 At length she dropped her hands； and staring from
dry lids saw a rim of fire above the roofs across the Grand
Canal。 She sprang up； ran back into her room； and dragging the
heavy curtains shut across the windows； stumbled over in the
darkness to the lounge and fell among its pillows…face
downwardgroping； delving for a deeper night 。。。。
She started up； stiff and aching； to see a golden wedge of sun
on the floor at her feet。 She had slept； thenwas it
possible？it must be eight or nine o'clock already！ She had
sleptslept like a drunkardwith that letter on the table at
her elbow！ Ah； now she rememberedshe had dreamed that the
letter was a dream！ But there； inexorably； it lay； and she
picked it up； and slowly； painfully re…read it。 Then she tore
it into shreds hunted for a match； and kneeling before the empty
hearth； as though she were accomplishing some funeral rite； she
burnt every shred of it to ashes。 Nick would thank her for that
some day！
After a bath and a hurried toilet she began to be aware of
feeling younger and more hopeful。 After all； Nick had merely
said that he was going away for 〃a day or two。〃 And the letter
was not cruel： there were tender things in it； showing through
the curt words。 She smiled at herself a little stiffly in the
glass； put a dash of red on her colourless lips； and rang for
the maid。
〃Coffee； Giovanna； please； and will you tell Mr。 Strefford that
I should like to see him presently。〃
If Nick really kept to his intention of staying away for a few
days she must trump up some explanation of his absence； but her
mind refused to work； and the only thing she could think of was
to take Strefford into her confidence。 She knew that he could
be trusted in a real difficulty； his impish malice transformed
itself into a resourceful ingenuity when his friends required
it。
The maid stood looking at her with a puzzled gaze； and Susy
somewhat sharply repeated her order。 〃But don't wake him on
purpose；〃 she added； foreseeing the probable effect on
Strefford's temper。
〃But； signora； the gentleman is already out。〃
〃Already out？〃 Strefford； who could hardly be routed from his
bed before luncheon…time！ 〃Is it so late？〃 Susy cried；
incredulous。
〃After nine。 And the gentleman took the eight o'clock train for
England。 Gervaso said he had received a telegram。 He left word
that he would write to the signora。〃
The door closed upon the maid； and Susy continued to gaze at her
painted image in the glass； as if she had been trying to
outstare an importunate stranger。 There was no one left for her
to take counsel of； thenno one but poor Fred Gillow！ She made
a grimace at the idea。
But what on earth could have summoned Strefford back to England？
XII
NICK LANSING； in the Milan express； was roused by the same bar
of sunshine lying across his knees。 He yawned； looked with
disgust at his stolidly sleeping neighbours； and wondered why he
had decided to go to Milan； and what on earth he should do when
he got there。 The difficulty about trenchant decisions was that
the next morning they generally left one facing a void 。。。。
When the train drew into the station at Milan； he scrambled out；
got some coffee； and having drunk it decided to continue his
journey to Genoa。 The state of being carried passively onward
postponed action and dulled thought； and after twelve hours of
furious mental activity that was exactly what he wanted。
He fell into a doze again； waking now and then to haggard
intervals of more thinking； and then dropping off to the clank
and rattle of the train。 Inside his head； in his waking
intervals； the same clanking and grinding of wheels and chains
went on unremittingly。 He had done all his lucid thinking
within an hour of leaving the Palazzo Vanderlyn the night
before； since then； his brain had simply continued to revolve
indefatigably about the same old problem。 His cup of coffee；
instead of clearing his thoughts； had merely accelerated their
pace。
At Genoa he wandered about in the hot streets； bought a cheap
suit…case and some underclothes； and then went down to the port
in search of a little hotel he remembered there。 An hour later
he was sitting in the coffee…room； smoking and glancing vacantly
over the papers while he waited for dinner； when he became aware
of being timidly but intently examined by a small round…faced
gentleman with eyeglasses who sat alone at the adjoining table。
〃HulloButtles！〃 Lansing exclaimed； recognising with surprise
the recalcitrant secretary who had resisted Miss Hicks's
endeavour to convert him to Tiepolo。
Mr。 Buttles； blushing to the roots of his scant hair； half rose
and bowed ceremoniously。
Nick Lansing's first feeling was of annoyance at being disturbed
in his solitary broodings； his next； of relief at having to
postpone them even to converse with Mr。 Buttles。
〃No idea you were here： is the yacht in harbour？〃 he asked；
remembering that