but he is at his last gasp. He must
have had mighty strength once, only it is now worn down to nothing."

An uneasy thought passed through the detective's mind. Could it be
possible that Doria, while speaking previously to Bendigo about
private affairs, had discovered his presence in the great cupboard
and then warned Robert Redmayne that he would not meet his brother
alone? He dismissed the suspicion, however, for Doria's surprise and
anger when he emerged were genuine enough. Moreover there appeared
no reason why Giuseppe should side with the fugitive.

Bendigo spoke.

"So be it," he said. "It's a matter of life and death now and I'm
sorry we must wait till another night. We'll fetch out in the launch
and, when we see the light, go in and hail him."

Then he turned to Brendon.

"I'll ask you to hold off until I've seen the poor chap. As a
brother I ask it."

"Trust me. It's quite understood that nothing shall be done now
until you have seen him and reported. It may not be regular, but
common humanity suggests that."

"You can stop here to-morrow night," continued the sailor. "And if I
prevail with the unfortunate man I'll bring him off in the launch.
Then we'll talk sense to him. We've got to remember that nobody's
ever heard his side."

"If Captain Redmayne had a side he wouldn't have run away, or taken
the extraordinary pains that he did take to conceal his victim,"
answered Mark. "Don't buoy yourself up to suppose that will be a
possible line of defence. We're far more likely to get him off by
proving a homicidal act under the influence of shell shock--and the
less reason there was for murdering Michael Pendean, the more reason
there will be for supposing your brother out of his mind and
therefore guiltless when he did it."

"He is a very sane and a very sorry man now," declared Doria. "He
will come to your hand like a starved bird, signor."

"So much for that, then; and now we had better turn in," said
Bendigo. "I've always got a spare bunk in the spare room and you'll
find all you want, barring a razor, in the bathroom. You young men
use the newfangled safety razors, so Giuseppe can lend you one no
doubt."

Doria promised that a razor should be in the bathroom early on the
following morning; then he retired and Bendigo, who found that he
was hungry, descended to the dining-room. Brendon and he made a meal
before going to bed.

From his couch in a small chamber adjoining the older man's, Mark
he