"Let us walk in
the woods, if you aren't afraid of damp. I've something important to
say."
They went down the steps and out of the gate together, like old
acquaintances. Peter had no longer any doubt that the "family trouble"
concerned Mary; but it was easy to see that whatever it might be, Prince
Vanno was on her side. Peter admired him, and burned to serve her
friend.
"There has been an abominable lie told," Vanno began, as soon as they
were outside his brother's gate. "I must explain to you quickly what's
happened, if you're to understand. I went to Rome to tell my father of
our engagement. I left Mary with my brother and sister-in-law. I had two
happy letters from her. This morning I arrived here in the Rome express.
I came straight to Cap Martin, expecting to find Mary. Instead I found
my brother and his wife alone. My sister-in-law, I must say in justice,
seemed terribly grieved at what had happened. She could or would tell me
nothing. But Angelo--my brother--began some rigmarole about Mary having
run away from her convent-school years ago with a man, and--but I won't
repeat the story. I refused to listen. I can never forgive my brother."
"Good for you!" exclaimed the American girl. "But I see the whole thing,
and you needn't even try to repeat the story. I know it without your
telling. It happened to another girl with a name almost exactly like
Mary's. That's how the mistake must have come about. The girl who ran
away disappeared about four years ago.
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