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 that's the end of me for both him and his brother. Well, I did that for you, didn't I?"

"But if you did, you seem to resent that you did it," Arturo said. "You have found some fault with everything I have said. If I say, 'It is fine weather,' you say, 'It is bad weather'! When I ask why you believe so, you begin to whistle and you whistle for half an hour!"

"Then don't ask me why I believe it's bad weather. That's simple, isn't it?"

"Ah!" he said. "The sun could be so bright if you would let it! Why can't I please you a little?"

Claire looked at him seriously. "You do."

"I can't think so to-day. Yesterday I could. It is an eternal up-and-down!"

"No," she said. "I like you as well to-day as I did yesterday. I'm always pleased with you, Arturo."

"Is that all?" he asked. "Just 'pleased'? Just you 'like'?"

"Oh, dear!" she said, and she shook her head despairingly. "There it is! Whenever I give you the chance, you say things like that! Don't you see that I spend half my time with you trying to keep you from asking such questions?"