The Innocent Adventuress

into tears. Her knees were trembling and she sat down w

aid Johnny

yes now, and then he moved over and sat d

a rock, and lighted it. Then, the case s

stioned. "Ought to-nev

perturbation must be immense. She did not want to add

and from an inner pocket dr

," he a

ck one. He took but half of that. With the cigarette

"When we're rested we'll get some wood and build a fire. The ot

y she straightened. Her voice grew breathless. "Oh, no, we must

nny leaned back.

re the others are.

ed a stout leg. "Your Uncle

And I would rather-Oh, if you please, I would so mu

an wait like t

cannot

id try. We'd just go round and round. Our best bet is to stay on this

not be weak and frantic and make a scene. . . . Men abhorred scenes. And it would not help. It wo

, he was there with her, he would take care o

ticks for a fire. It burned briskly, its swift flame throwing a

swallowed the last vestige of ruddy light. Th

moonlight," sa

tains which she was unremittingly watching for an answering

must not wait any more. It is too late n

nearer to her. "What you 'fraid of, Ri-R

se she was so tired and frightened and upset Maria Angelina

again softly, and suddenly sh

i-Ri! Poor tir

not. Signor,

he said re

ny," sh

ht, I'll be good, Ri-Ri. Just

relaxed in that strong clasp. She was not frightened, as last night

d to grow thinner and grayer and clear. And at last against the pallor of the sky, mountain after mountain lifted it

flare of light flamed, and a blood red disc of a moon came pushin

irches gleamed like wood ny

; she felt strangely solaced and comforted. After all, it was Johnny with her . . . th

ds him. Mutely she resisted, drawing away, but his force increased. She closed her

ned from him she would seem strangely refusing.

tremendous

t quiveringly, if he had not done that, i

d he loved her and he wanted to feel that she belonged

n up her chin, so that her young lips mi

short, uncertain laugh. "All ri

nd he rose now and his voic

I don't see any rescue expeditions starting this way. . . .

side," said Maria Ang

e trail that they had come. Closely after him came the girl. The moonlight flooded the mou

. The moon was their only clue to direction and the moon

anyway," said Jo

emselves ended abruptly, like a bluff, and peering over its

descen

ledge but it was a clear shelf, with no way out from it excep

or mountaineering!" sai

rious-and he grew more furious unrestrainedly.

d hungry, and men, when they were hungry, were very unhappy. But she was tired and hung

back upon the mountain side, they circled farther

she caught upon brambles. With her last shreds of vanity she was gratef

had vanished utterly behind the clouds. Th

a path. Eagerly they followed. It wound on back

y," declared Johnny, hope retu

"See, we are not going down any more. Oh, let us keep on going down

ing on ahead, and unhappily she followed

e picnickers must all be home by now, looking for her, organizing searchi

ss. . . . Ruth's disgust. Would

oung people were always eloping. . . . The consent of guardians was not necessary. . . . How terrible, if they imagined

with a young man . . . a y

. . Unbelie

ey were in the gr

st gain upon that night, they must retu

to her, but the rain soon stopped and the path grew clearer a

lly a cabin. It was just three walls of logs

ith a door that swung open on

came to look, too. The place was so tiny that a bed of boughs and blankets on the floor cov

nny in glum resignation. "Hasn't

n emerged to report in disgust, "Not a darn t

Maria Angelina that he was g

t go on," s

who had gasped that at him. "Go on? In this dark? Whe

not necessary for me to rest-not necessary at all. I am

to-night. We'll have to ca

rdly have heard him. It was so inc

er throat. Her words fell without

e cannot stay. We can

an't w

possible! Th

andal?" he said sharply. "Wha

t dispel her terror. But it was somet

they will

e said curtly. "W

s if to still that throbbing p

cannot-not give them so much to ta

se, Ri-Ri!" he

ed as to her reception. She had no parallel in Italian society. The thing could not happen

ease the world. Of course, there would always be the story. As long as she lived there wou

ing infinitely drooping and forlorn in the vague out

ry, little girl," he told her soo

eart

y, "but what can we do? Ha

once

age," she

w that he raised his head, his chin st

king about?" he s

and then, at something in his hardness and his grimn

berate silence e

y's slow voi

age?" defiantly he demanded. "