a question.

"I could not fail to note that you do not like him, or if that is
too strong, that you see nothing to admire in him. What is there
antipathetic in his nature to you, and in yours to him? He doesn't
like you either. Yet you both seem to me such gracious, kindly men.
Surely you have no bias against other nationalities--a man with a
cosmopolitan record like yours?"

At this thrust Brendon perceived how unconsciously he had displayed
an aversion for which no real reason existed--no reason, at any
rate, that he might fairly declare. And yet he was frank; nor did
his response perhaps surprise her, though she appeared to be
astonished.

"There's only one answer, Mrs. Pendean: I'm jealous of Signor
Doria."

"Jealous! Why, Mr. Brendon--what have you to envy him?"

"You would not be likely to guess," he replied, though in truth
Jenny had already done so accurately enough. "I am sure that if
Doria is a gentleman I need not be jealous, seeing what is in my
thought cannot be spoken to you by any man for many a long day to
come. And yet to envy him is natural; and when you ask what I envy,
I will be honest and tell you. Fate has given him the privilege of
lightening the cruel burden placed upon your shoulders. His sympathy
and intuition you admit have succeeded in so doing. You will say
that no Englishman could have done that exactly in the way he
did--perhaps you are right; but one Englishman regrets from the
bottom of his heart that the opportunity was denied him."

"You have been good and kind, too," she answered. "Do not think I am
ungrateful. It was not your fault that you failed to discover Robert
Redmayne. And, after all, what would success have amounted to? Only
the capture of the unfortunate man a few months sooner. Now, I hope,
he will see that there is nothing for it but to give himself up to
his brother and trust his fellow creatures to be merciful."

Thus she led conversation away from Doria and herself, and Mark took
the hint. He no longer doubted that her regard for the Italian might
easily ripen into love. He assured himself that he dreaded this for
her, yet suspected all the time that his regret was in reality
selfish and inspired by personal disappointment rather than fear for
her.

Anon they saw the flash of a ruby and an emerald upon the sea
westward and soon heard Redmayne's motor boat returning. Less than
half an hour had passed, and Brendon hoped that Robert Redmayne had
yielded to his