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 be—surprised when you saw me, an' wouldn't like me then."

Indeed I knew about it," said Auntie, and since then I've been more particularly fond than ever of one of my nephews. How could you think it would matter, darling?"

"I didn't know," murmured Fen; "you were away always—I thought—"

At that moment a tall figure, leaping to the deck, cut short his words. Snatching a striped silken cap from his dark hair, this young man bowed absurdly low, and cried:

"Signor, le augur o il buono giorno! Spera ch'ella sia in buona salute"

"Good heavens!" thought Cynthia, as yet unseen in the shadows. "What can the man want? I 'm positive that Fen doesn't understand Italian."

Radiant, her nephew held up his face