Was I right?

by Mrs. O. F. Walton

"Miss Lindsay," he said, at last, "would you show me in which of those shops you made your purchases just now? Evelyn dear, you sit still here till we come back. Mr. Stanley, may I leave my daughter in your care for a few minutes?"

I thought Mr. Stanley was not sorry to be left in charge; but Evelyn had turned as pale as she was before, and was trembling from head to foot.

Sir William and I left them on the seat near the fountain, and walked towards the row of shops.

"I really think you must have been mistaken, Miss Lindsay," he repeated; but I told him that I was sure that Mr. Trafford had recognised us, for he had strangely and suddenly disappeared, and had sent a Frenchwoman to wait upon us.

I waited outside, whilst Sir William went into the shop. He came out in a few minutes, looking very much relieved.

"It is quite a mistake, Miss Lindsay," he said; "Donald Trafford is not here; I have made full inquiries."

Then he told me that there was no one but the Frenchwoman in the shop when he went in, but that he had asked to see the young Englishman who was waiting in the shop about a quarter of an hour before. The Frenchwoman, however, had assured him that there was no Englishman there, nor was there any one who could speak English. It must have been her husband whom the ladies had seen; he was in the shop a few minutes ago, but he was an Italian—his name was Signor Rialti. Sir William had asked to speak to her husband, but she told him he had been suddenly called away on business; he was away now, and would not return till Monday.

"Then Signor Rialti is evidently the name Mr. Trafford has taken," I said.

"Oh, I think not, Miss Lindsay," said Sir William, decidedly; "you and Evelyn have been mistaken. I have no doubt that the young Italian bears a strong resemblance to Donald Trafford, and that that circumstance has led you both to imagine that it must be he."

But, though I was silenced by Sir William's very decided manner, still I was far from being convinced; for I was firmly persuaded in my own mind that it was indeed Evelyn's cousin whom we had seen that morning.