thought he was out for money--enough money to reestablish
the vanished glories of his race."

"So he was and, of course, he knows he can't do that with Jenny's
twenty thousand; but love casts out a good many things besides fear.
It blights ambition--for the time being anyway--and handicaps a man
on every side in the race for life. All Doria wants now is Jenny
Pendean, and he'll get her if I'm a judge. I wouldn't mind too much
either, if they could stop along with me and go on as we're going;
but of course that wouldn't happen. As it is Doria has come to be a
friend. He does all he's paid to do and a lot more; but he's more a
guest than a servant, and I shall miss him like the devil when he
goes."

"It's hard to see what you can do, Mr. Redmayne."

"So it is. I don't wish to come between my niece and her happiness,
and I can't honestly say that Doria wouldn't be a good husband,
though good husbands are rare everywhere and never rarer than in
Italy, I believe. He might change his mind after they'd been wed a
year and hanker for his ambitions again and money to carry them out.
Jenny will have plenty some day, for there's poor Bob's money sooner
or late, I suppose, and there'll be mine and her Uncle Albert's so
far as I know. But, taking it by and large, I'd a good bit sooner it
didn't happen. I'll tell you these things because you're a famous
man, with plenty of credit for good sense."

"I appreciate the confidence and can return a confidence," answered
Brendon after a moment's reflection. "I do admire Mrs. Pendean. She
is, of course, amazingly beautiful, and she has a gracious and
charming nature. With such distinction of character you may rest
assured that nothing will happen yet a while. Your niece will be
faithful to her late husband's memory for many a long month, if not
forever."

"I believe that," answered Bendigo. "We can mark time, I don't
doubt, till the turn of the year or maybe longer. But there it is:
they are thrown together every day of their lives and, though Jenny
would hide it very carefully from me, and probably from herself also
as far as she could, I guess he's going to win out."

Brendon said no more. He was cast down and did not hide the fact.

"Mind you, I'd much prefer an Englishman," admitted the sailor; "but
there's nobody to make any running in these parts. Giuseppe's got it
all his own way." Then he left the subject. "No news, I suppose, of
my poor brother?"

"None, Mr. Redmayne."