They sat down behind these, with their faces towards the
sea, and were as thoroughly hidden from view, as if they had been quite
alone in the world.
"I suppose they were frightened," asked Mae, "at home--at Rome, I mean."
"Dreadfully," replied Norman, trying to be sober, but with the glad ring
in his voice still. "Edith was for dragging the Tiber; she was sure
you and the seven-branched candlestick lay side by side. Mrs. Jerrold
searched your trunks and read all your private papers, I am morally
certain." Then Norman stopped abruptly, and Mae drew the long stiletto
from her hair nervously and played with it before she said, "And the
boys?" "Albert was very, very sad, but reasonably sure you would be
found. We all feared the Italian, but Albert worked carefully, and soon
discovered that the officer was said to be engaged to a young girl
with whom he had been seen the day after you left, and that gave him
courage,"--then Norman stopped again abruptly. "And Eric?" "Eric sat
down with his face in his hands and cried, Miss Mae, and said, 'I've
lost my sister, the very dearest little sister in the world.
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