o her than that in the long run. My brother
Albert and I are both old bachelors with nobody so near us as Jenny.
In fact you may say that if all goes right, she'll be pretty flush
some day. Not enough to waste on ruined castles, but a mighty good
income none the less. Then there's poor Bob's money; for however it
falls out with him, it don't look as though he'd spend it now."

"All this is wind in the trees and the cackling of hens to me,"
declared Doria. "I have not thought about it and I do not want to
think about it. The criterion of love, such as I feel to Jenny, is
that nothing else weighs a mustard seed in the balance against it.
If she were a pauper, or if she owned millions, my attitude of heart
is not changed. I worship her with the whole of myself--so that
there is not a cranny left in my spirit where hunger for money can
find foothold, or fear of poverty exist. Happiness never depends
upon cash, or the lack of it; but without love no real happiness
shall be found in the world."

"That may be bunkum, or it may be God's truth--I don't know. I've
never been in love and nobody ever wasted an ounce of affection on
me," replied Redmayne. "But you've heard me now. You can sit on the
safety valve for six months anyway; and it will probably pay you
best to do so; for one thing's certain: Jenny won't love you any
better for making love under present circumstances."

"It is too true," answered the other. "Trust me. I will hide my soul
and be exquisitely cautious. Her sorrow shall be respected--from no
selfish motive only, but because I am a gentleman, as you remind
me."

"Youth's youth, and you Italians have a good deal more fire kneaded
into you than us northerners."

Suddenly Doria's manner changed and he looked half sternly, half
curiously at Bendigo. Then he smiled to himself and ended, the
conversation.

"Fear nothing," he said. "Trust me. Indeed there is no reason why
you should do otherwise. No more of this for half a year. I bid you
good night, master."

He was gone and for a moment only the hurtle of the rain on the
ground windows of the tower room broke the silence; then Brendon
emerged from his hiding-place and stretched his limbs. Bendigo
regarded him with an expression half humorous and half grim.

"That's how the land lies," he said. "Now you've got it."

Mark bent his head.

"And you think that she--"

"Yes--I think so. Why not? Did you ever in your experience hit up
against a man more lik