"
"Don't tell me the other times," she interposed.
"No," said I, "I won't."
She fell to plucking the roses again.
"This Captain Smith," she said presently; "was he in Valeria six years
ago?"
"That would be in 189--?" I reflected a moment. "Yes he was here that
year."
She thought a bit. "Was he given to reminiscing?"
"No one in America but myself knew he had been to Valeria."
She smiled.
I saw the blunder. "It happened he knew of my Dalberg descent," I
hastened to add.
"Has he ever mentioned an adventure in the forest near the Summer
Palace?"
"I am quite sure he has not," I said, but without looking at her.
Then I felt a touch on my arm--and I took her gloved fingers in my own
and held them.
"You are very good, cousin," she said, then loosed her hand.
"When did you recognize me?" I asked.
"When you kissed me. That was why I was so angry."
"I noticed you were annoyed."
"Yet, I was more disappointed."
"Yes?" I inflected.
"To have my ideal Captain Smith shattered so completely."
"But when you learned it was your cousin?"
"That saved the ideal."
"But I cannot live up to the Captain."
She shook her head. "There is no need.
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