m-m-motives to
people? It's m-most unchristian. I am preparing an essay on contemporary
theology for the n-n-new paper."

"What new paper?" Riccardo frowned. It was perhaps an open secret that
a new press-law was expected and that the Opposition was preparing to
astonish the town with a radical newspaper; but still it was, formally,
a secret.

"The Swindlers' Gazette, of course, or the Church Calendar."

"Sh-sh! Rivarez, we are disturbing the other readers."

"Well then, stick to your surgery, if that's your subject, and l-l-leave
me to th-theology--that's mine. I d-d-don't interfere with your
treatment of broken bones, though I know a p-p-precious lot more about
them than you do."

He sat down to his volume of sermons with an intent and preoccupied
face. One of the librarians came up to him.

"Signor Rivarez! I think you were in the Duprez expedition, exploring
the tributaries of the Amazon? Perhaps you will kindly help us in a
difficulty. A lady has been inquiring for the records of the expedition,
and they are at the binder's."

"What does she want to know?"

"Only in what year the expedition started and when it passed through
Ecuador."

"It started from Paris in the autumn of 1837, and passed through Quito
in April, 1838. We were three years in Brazil; then went down to Rio and
got back to Paris in the summer of 1841. Does the lady want the dates of
the separate discoveries?"

"No, thank you; only these. I have written them down. Beppo, take this
paper to Signora Bolla, please. Many thanks, Signor Rivarez. I am sorry
to have troubled you."

The Gadfly leaned back in his chair with a perplexed frown. What did she
want the dates for? When they passed through Ecuador----

Gemma went home with the slip of paper in her hand. April, 1838--and
Arthur had died in May, 1833. Five years--

She began pacing up and down her room. She had slept badly the last few
nights, and there were dark shadows under her eyes.

Five years;--and an "overluxurious home"--and "someone he had trusted
had deceived him"--had deceived him--and he had found it out----

She stopped and put up both hands to her head. Oh, this was utterly
mad--it was not possible--it was absurd----

And yet, how they had dragged that harbour!

Five years--and he was "not twenty-one" when the Lascar---- Then he must
have been nineteen when he ran away from home. Had he not said: "A year
and a half----" Where did he get those blue eyes from, and tha