extreme courtesy which followed on the part of
the driver. He took out two grips and stood
aside to let a slight, distinguished-looking man
pass him and go up the steps. He followed, but
Betty saw that the butler had opened the door
to go out.

Lucia had waited only to see who stepped
from the taxi. She was out into the hall, down
the steps and in the arms of a surprised father
before one would have thought she could reach
him. The butler, too, was smiling and welcoming
the count. “Why, he was probably here when
they were married,” thought Betty. “Of course,
but Lucia had never thought of it!”

Invited to have a share in this arrival, Betty
felt quite justified as she happily watched from
the window seat, having a good view from the
windows that projected in a sort of rectangular
recess at the part of the room nearest the hall.

The door into the hall stood open, but Betty
did not come into sight as they entered from
without. She wondered if there would be any
delay. Would the count go straight to his wife's
room? What would happen? She could hear
the rapid Italian in which Lucia and her father
were speaking. The butler spoke in his ac-
customed low tones, but with some excitement,
too. It was being explained to him. Then up

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