"Crying won't help," and she wiped away what she meant should be her last tear. "I am sure I know the general direction, and if----"
"Hello, hello," cried a cheerful voice behind her, "a lady in distress, and no one but me to rescue her. This is _remarkable_."
Irma started to her feet, almost ready to throw her arms around the speaker, whom she had instantly recognized. Before her stood the fairy godfather.
It did not take long to explain the situation, though the old gentleman was rather outspoken in his words of blame for Marion and Uncle Jim.
"Your uncle evidently thought the boy was looking after you, and I must say he deserves punishment, if he has gone back to Rome without you."
"Oh, it is my fault for not staying with the others."
"Well, well, that can be settled later; meanwhile, if you have really seen all you wish of Hadrian's villa, I will conduct you outside, where I have a carriage and pair. We can soon reach Tivoli, where I can send a telegram that will meet your friends when they reach the end of the route."
"On the regular railroad from Tivoli. Fortunately it has an evening train. Ah, here we are!"
As Irma waited at the little building at the entrance to the grounds, where post cards and other relics were sold, she saw a piece of marble, almost the counterpart of the one that had made her lose her way. She did not buy it, in spite of her first impulse.
"I believe it's not wrong for me to keep the other piece," she thought. "In one way it has taught me a lesson."
On their way to Tivoli the old gentleman seemed more inclined to get Irma's impressions of Rome, rather than to talk freely himself. She did not, therefore, venture to ask where he had been since their landing at Naples, nor even whether he had been long in Rome.
This last question seemed unnecessary, as the old gentleman's conversation showed a wide acquaintance with modern as well as ancient Rome. Irma had begun, however, to ask him one or two questions about Roman school children, when without replying he said abruptly, "Now, tell me, don't you think there are too many churches in Rome?"
"There _are_ a great many," replied Irma, smiling, "and I shall not have seen more than a tenth of them, even if I stay here a month longer."