With that general promise, without a knowledge of the fact already discovered, Flora retired to rest; but it was nearly morning before she slept.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Though Flora had been so wakeful the preceding night, she tapped at Mrs. Delano’s door very early the next morning.  “Excuse me for coming before you were dressed,” said she; “but I wanted to ask you how long you think it will be before Mr. Percival can find out whether Mr. Fitzgerald has brought Rosa with him.”

“Probably not before noon,” replied Mrs. Delano, drawing the anxious little face toward her, and imprinting on it her morning kiss.  “Last evening I wrote a note to Mr. Green, requesting him to dispose of the opera tickets to other friends.  Mr. Fitzgerald is so musical, he will of course be there; and whether your sister is with him or not, you will be in too nervous a state to go to any public place.  You had better stay in your room, and busy yourself with books and drawings, till we can ascertain the state of things.  I will sit with you as much as I can; and when I am absent you must try to be a good, quiet child.”

“I will try to be good, because I don’t want to trouble you, Mamita Lila; but you know I can’t be quiet in my mind.  I did long for the opera; but unless Mr. Fitzgerald brought Rosa with him, and I could see her before I went, it would almost kill me to hear Norma; for every part of it is associated with her.”

After breakfast, Mrs. Delano sat some time in Flora’s room, inspecting her recent drawings, and advising her to work upon them during the day, as the best method of restraining restlessness.  While they were thus occupied, Carlina brought in a beautiful bouquet for Miss Delano, accompanied with a note for the elder lady, expressing Mr. Green’s great regret at being deprived of the pleasure of their company for the evening.

“I am sorry I missed seeing him,” thought Mrs. Delano; “for he is always so intimate with Southerners, I dare say he would know all about Mr. Fitzgerald; though I should have been at a loss how to introduce the inquiry.”

Not long afterward Mr. Percival called, and had what seemed to Flora a very long private conference with Mrs. Delano.  The information he brought was, that the lady with Mr. Fitzgerald was a small, slight figure, with yellowish hair and very delicate complexion.

“That is in all respects the very opposite of Flora’s description of her sister,” rejoined Mrs. Delano.

Their brief conversation on the subject was concluded by a request that Mr. Percival would inquire at Civita Vecchia for the earliest vessels bound either to France or England.

Mrs. Delano could not at once summon sufficient resolution to recount all the particulars to Flora; to whom she merely said that she considered it certain that her sister was not with Mr. Fitzgerald.

“Then why can’t I go right off to the United States to-day?” exclaimed the impetuous little damsel.