again, and it was not until they were rushing up the Via Nazionale
and in a moment or two would have reached their destination, that
Count Roumovski said:

"Stella--that means star--it is a beautiful name--I can believe
you could be a star to shine upon any man's dark night--because
you have a pure spirit, although it has been muffled by
circumstances for all these years."

Then the automobile drew up by the trees, at perhaps two hundred
yards from the hotel, near the baths of Diocletian.

"If you will get out here, it will be best," Count Roumovski told
her respectfully, "and walk along on the inner side. I will then
drive to the door of the hotel, as usual."

"Thank you, and good-bye," said Stella, and began untying the
veil--he helped her at once, and in doing so his hand touched her
soft pink cheek. She thrilled with a new kind of mad enjoyment,
the like of which she had never felt, and then controlled herself
and stamped it out.

"It has been a very great pleasure to me," he said, and nothing
more; no "good-bye" or "au revoir" or anything, and he drew into
the far corner as she got out of the car, letting the chauffeur
help her. Nor did he look her way as he drove on. And Stella
walked leisurely back to the hotel, wondering in her heart at the
meaning of things.

No one noticed her entrance, and she was able to begin to dress