“Oh no, I won’t,” said Carlton, with resignation. “I have had two chances and lost them, and I’ll miss this one too.”
“Well, there is a chance you shouldn’t miss,” said Miss Morris, pointing and nodding her head. “There she is now, and all alone. She’s sketching, isn’t she, or taking notes? What is she doing?”
Carlton looked eagerly in the direction Miss Morris had signified, and saw the Princess Aline sitting at some distance from them, with a book on her lap. She glanced up from this now and again to look at something ahead of her, and was apparently deeply absorbed in her occupation.
“There is your opportunity,” said Mrs. Downs; “and we are going back to the hotel. Shall we see you at luncheon?”
“Yes,” said Carlton, “unless I get a position as drawing-master; in that case I shall be here teaching the three amateurs in art. Do you think I can do it?” he asked Miss Morris.
“Decidedly,” she answered. “I have found you a most educational young person.”
They went away together, and Carlton moved cautiously toward the spot where the Princess was sitting. He made a long and roundabout détour as he did so, in order to keep himself behind her. He did not mean to come so near that she would see him, but he took a certain satisfaction in looking at her when she was alone, though her loneliness was only a matter of the moment, and though he knew that her people were within a hundred yards of her. He was in consequence somewhat annoyed and surprised to see another young man dodging in and out among the pillars of the Parthenon immediately ahead of him, and to find that this young man also had his attention centred on the young girl, who sat unconsciously sketching in the foreground.
“Now what the devil can he want?” muttered Carlton, his imagination taking alarm at once.
“If it would only prove to be some one who meant harm to her,” he thought—“a brigand, or a beggar, who might be obligingly insolent, or even a tipsy man, what a chance it would afford for heroic action!”
With this hope he moved forward quickly but silently, hoping that the stranger might prove even to be an anarchist with a grudge against royalty. And as he advanced he had the satisfaction of seeing the Princess glance over her shoulder, and, observing the man, rise and walk quickly away toward the edge of the rock. There she seated herself with her face toward the city, and with her back firmly set against her pursuer.