"Jealous," laughed Luigi, shrugging his shoulders again. "Her lover,
probably."
"No," replied Bero, "but he may be some time." Then after a moment's
pause, "Good evening," he said carelessly. "I am going to say my prayers
at vespers. I've been a sorry scamp of late."
Luigi laughed disdainfully and lightly. "You want to get rid of me?
Well, be it so. I don't want to lose my heart over a little foreigner. I
have other game. However, Lillia shall not know of it. Addio, Bero." So
Luigi went off the other way, and Bero, with a flushed face, followed
Mae at a distance, and kept an eye on the stranger, flattering himself
that he was quite unnoticed by those sharp, keen eyes. He was mistaken,
Norman Mann had seen the officers before they saw him, had watched their
footsteps, and had a pretty clear idea of the whole affair.
Mae walked on happily, chatting with Eric, and with that vague,
delightful feeling of something exciting in the air. She knew there was
an officer behind her, because she had heard the clicking spurs, but she
only guessed that he might be one of the two who had passed--the
taller, perhaps,--which, of course, he was.
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