“Who was the young lady in the carriage that just passed?” asked Lorry, eagerly,

The face of the soldier flushed and then grew pale with anger.

“Hold on!  I beg pardon, but we are strangers and don’t quite understand your ways.  I can’t see anything improper in asking such a question,” said Anguish, attempting to detain him.  The young man struck his hand from his arm and his eyes fairly blazed.

“You must learn our ways.  We never pass comment on a lady.  If you do so in your land, I am sorry for your ladies.  I refuse to be questioned by you.  Stand aside, fellow!”

Anguish stood aside in astonishment, and they watched the wrathful gallant strut down the street, his back as stiff as a board.

“Damned touchy!” growled Anguish.

“You remember what Sitzky said about their respect for the weaker sex.  I guess we’d better keep off that tack or we’ll hatch up a duel or two.  They seem to be fire-eaters.  We must content ourselves witch searching out her home and without assistance, too.  I’ve cooled off a bit, Harry, and, now that I’ve seen her, I’m willing to go slowly and deliberately.  Let’s take our time and be perfectly cool.  I am beginning to agree with your incog. proposition.  It’s all clearing up in my mind now.  We’ll go back to the hotel and get ready for the visit to the palace grounds.”

“Don’t you intend to hunt her up?  ’Gad, I wouldn’t miss a minute if I had a chance to be with a girl like that!  And the other was no scarecrow.  She is rather a beauty, too.  Greatest town for pretty women I ever struck.  Vienna is out of it entirely.”

They strolled on to the hotel, discussing the encounter in all its exhilarating details.  Scarcely had they seated themselves on the piazza, after partaking of a light luncheon, when a man came galloping up to the walk in front of the hotel.  Throwing his bridle rein to a guard, he hastened to the piazza.  His attire was that of a groom and something about him reminded them of the footman who sat beside the driver of the carriage they had seen a short time before.  He came straight to where the Americans sat smoking and, bowing low, held before them an envelope.  The address was “Grenfall Lorry Esq.,” but the man was in doubt as to which was he.

Lorry grasped the envelope, tore it open, and drew forth a daintily written note.  It read: 

“My Dear Mr. Lorry: 

“I was very much surprised to see you this morning—­I may add that I was delighted.  If you will accompany this messenger when he calls for you at three o’clock tomorrow afternoon, he will conduct you to my home, where I shall truly be charmed to see you again.  Will you bring your friend?

“SophiaGuggenslocker.”

Lorry could have embraced the messenger.  There was a suspicion of breathlessness in his voice when he tried to say calmly to Harry: 

“An invitation for to-morrow.”