and I would have
thrown these papers into the sea," producing a packet from her bosom,
"rather than have placed them where I do now!"

A fourth man had strolled out of the aloe grove, smoking a long
cigarette. Into his hands Adrienne had placed the little packet of
letters, which he accepted with a low bow.

Even now the Sicilian felt bewildered; but as his eyes fell upon the
fourth man he started and trembled violently, gazing at him as though
fascinated.

"I do not understand!" he faltered.

The fourth man removed his cigarette from his teeth and produced a
paper.

"Permit me to explain," he said politely. "I have here a warrant for
your arrest, Count di Marioni, alias Leonardo di Cortegi, on two counts:
first, that you, being an exile, have returned to Italian soil; and
secondly, on a further and separate charge of conspiracy against the
Italian Government, in collusion with a secret society, calling
themselves 'Members of the Order of the White Hyacinth.' The proofs of
the latter conspiracy, which were wanting at your first trial, have now
been furnished."

He touched the little roll of papers which he had just received, and,
with a low bow, fell back. There was an ominous silence.

At the mention of his first name a deathlike pallor had swept in upon
the Sicilian's face. His manner suddenly became quite quiet and free
from excitement. But there was a look in his dark eyes more awful than
had been his previous fury.

"You have done a brave thing indeed, Adrienne!" he said slowly. "You
have saved your lover. You have betrayed the man who would have given
his life to serve you. Listen to me! As I loved you before so do I hate
you now! As my love for you in the past has governed my life, and
brought me always to your side, so in the days to come shall my undying
hate for you and for that man shape my actions and mold my life, and
bring me over sea and land to the farthest corners of the earth to wreak
my vengeance upon you. Be it ten, or twenty, or thirty years, they keep
me rotting in their prisons, the time will come when I shall be free
again; and then, beware! Search your memory for the legends of our race!
Was ever a hate forgotten, or an oath broken? Hear me swear," he cried,
raising his clasped hands above his head with a sudden passionate
gesture, "by the sun, and the sky, and the sea, and the earth, I swear
that, as they continue unchanged and unchanging, so shall my hate for
you remain! Ah! you can