“How can I help it?  What am I to do?  I must go, Kitty darling.  He is so very positive, and—­and he insists so.  I don’t want to hurt his feelings, you know; and I really think there is nothing for me to do but to go.  What do you think about it, Dowdy dear?” and she appealed to her aunt.

“Well, Minnie, my child, I think it would be best not to be unkind or uncivil, since he saved your life.”

Upon this Minnie accompanied her sister to see the visitor.

Mrs. Willoughby entered the room first, and Minnie was close behind her, as though she sought protection from some unknown peril.  On entering the room they saw a man dressed in Zouave uniform.  His hair was cropped short; he wore a mustache and no beard; his features were regular and handsome; while a pair of fine dark eyes were looking earnestly at the door, and the face and the eyes had the expression of one who is triumphantly awaiting the result of some agreeable surprise.  Mrs. Willoughby at once recognized the stranger as the Zouave officer who had stared at them near the Church of the Jesuits.  She advanced with lady-like grace toward him, when suddenly he stepped hastily past her, without taking any notice of her, and catching Minnie in his arms, he kissed her several times.

Mrs. Willoughby started back in horror.

Minnie did not resist, nor did she scream, or faint, or do any thing.  She only looked a little confused, and managed to extricate herself, after which she took a seat as far away as she could, putting her sister between her and the Zouave.  But the Zouave’s joy was full, and he didn’t appear to notice it.  He settled himself in a chair, and laughed loud in his happiness.

“Only to think of it,” said he.  “Why, I had no more idea of your being here, Minnie, than Victory.  Well, here you see me.  Only been here a couple of months or so.  You got my last favor, of course?  And ain’t you regular knocked up to see me a Baron?  Yes, a Baron—­a real, live Baron!  I’ll tell you all about it.  You see I was here two or three years ago—­the time of Mentana—­and fought on the Pope’s side.  Odd thing, too, wasn’t it, for an American?  But so it was.  Well, they promoted me, and wanted me to stay.  But I couldn’t fix it.  I had business off home, and was on my way there the time of the shipwreck.  Well, I’ve been dodgin’ all round every where since then, but never forgettin’ little Min, mind you, and at last I found myself here, all right.  I’d been speculatin’ in wines and raisins, and just dropped in here to take pot-luck with some old Zouave friends, when, darn me! if they didn’t make me stay.  It seems there’s squally times ahead.  They wanted a live man.  They knew I was that live man.  They offered me any thing I wanted.  They offered me the title of Baron Atramonte.  That knocked me, I tell you.  Says I, I’m your man.  So now you see me Baron Atramonte, captain in the Papal Zouaves, ready to go where glory