y, though. You
said yourself just now that there must be two responsible persons
in charge; and if Domenichino couldn't manage alone it is evidently
impossible for you to do so. A person as desperately compromised as you
are is very much handicapped, remember, in work of that kind, and
more dependent on help than anyone else would be. Instead of you and
Domenichino, it must be you and I."

He considered for a moment, frowning.

"Yes, you are quite right," he said; "and the sooner we go the better.
But we must not start together. If I go off to-night, you can take, say,
the afternoon coach to-morrow."

"Where to?"

"That we must discuss. I think I had b-b-better go straight in to
Faenza. If I start late to-night and ride to Borgo San Lorenzo I can get
my disguise arranged there and go straight on."

"I don't see what else we can do," she said, with an anxious little
frown; "but it is very risky, your going off in such a hurry and
trusting to the smugglers finding you a disguise at Borgo. You ought to
have at least three clear days to double on your trace before you cross
the frontier."

"You needn't be afraid," he answered, smiling; "I may get taken further
on, but not at the frontier. Once in the hills I am as safe as here;
there's not a smuggler in the Apennines that would betray me. What I am
not quite sure about is how you are to get across."

"Oh, that is very simple! I shall take Louisa Wright's passport and go
for a holiday. No one knows me in the Romagna, but every spy knows you."

"F-fortunately, so does every smuggler."

She took out her watch.

"Half-past two. We have the afternoon and evening, then, if you are to
start to-night."

"Then the best thing will be for me to go home and settle everything
now, and arrange about a good horse. I shall ride in to San Lorenzo; it
will be safer."

"But it won't be safe at all to hire a horse. The owner will-----"

"I shan't hire one. I know a man that will lend me a horse, and that can
be trusted. He has done things for me before. One of the shepherds
will bring it back in a fortnight. I shall be here again by five or
half-past, then; and while I am gone, I w-want you to go and find
Martini and exp-plain everything to him."

"Martini!" She turned round and looked at him in astonishment.

"Yes; we must take him into confidence--unless you can think of anyone
else."

"I don't quite understand what you mean."

"We must have someone here whom we can tr