to the barrier?"

"Yes; I don't want to be seen in the street any more to-night. Have a
cigar, Martini? I know Signora Bolla doesn't mind smoke."

"I shan't be here to mind; I must go downstairs and help Katie with the
dinner."

When she had gone Martini got up and began to pace to and fro with his
hands behind his back. The Gadfly sat smoking and looking silently out
at the drizzling rain.

"Rivarez!" Martini began, stopping in front of him, but keeping his eyes
on the ground; "what sort of thing are you going to drag her into?"

The Gadfly took the cigar from his mouth and blew away a long trail of
smoke.

"She has chosen for herself," he said, "without compulsion on anyone's
part."

"Yes, yes--I know. But tell me----"

He stopped.

"I will tell you anything I can."

"Well, then--I don't know much about the details of these affairs in the
hills,--are you going to take her into any very serious danger?"

"Do you want the truth?"

"Yes."

"Then--yes."

Martini turned away and went on pacing up and down. Presently he stopped
again.

"I want to ask you another question. If you don't choose to answer it,
you needn't, of course; but if you do answer, then answer honestly. Are
you in love with her?"

The Gadfly deliberately knocked the ash from his cigar and went on
smoking in silence.

"That means--that you don't choose to answer?"

"No; only that I think I have a right to know why you ask me that."

"Why? Good God, man, can't you see why?"

"Ah!" He laid down his cigar and looked steadily at Martini. "Yes," he
said at last, slowly and softly. "I am in love with her. But you needn't
think I am going to make love to her, or worry about it. I am only going
to----"

His voice died away in a strange, faint whisper. Martini came a step
nearer.

"Only going--to----"

"To die."

He was staring straight before him with a cold, fixed look, as if he
were dead already. When he spoke again his voice was curiously lifeless
and even.

"You needn't worry her about it beforehand," he said; "but there's not
the ghost of a chance for me. It's dangerous for everyone; that she
knows as well as I do; but the smugglers will do their best to prevent
her getting taken. They are good fellows, though they are a bit rough.
As for me, the rope is round my neck, and when I cross the frontier I
pull the noose."

"Rivarez, what do you mean? Of course it's dangerous, and particularly
so for you; I understand that; bu