"May I ask your permission ?" said the Italian, with his finger on the seal of the letter.
"Oh, yes," said Frank, with naivete.
Riccabocca broke the seal, and a slight smile stole over his countenance.

Then he turned a little aside from Frank, shaded his face with his hand, and seemed to muse.

"Mrs.Hazeldean," said he, at last, "does me very great honour.

I hardly recognize her handwriting, or I should have been more impatient to open the letter." The dark eyes were lifted over the spectacles and went right into Frank's unprotected and undiplomatic heart.

The doctor raised the note, and pointed to the characters with his forefinger.
"Cousin Jemima's hand," said Frank, as directly as if the question had been put to him.
The Italian smiled.