facts concerning Robert's appearance and Bendigo's
disappearance. Now, suddenly, when I have long come to believe that
my younger brother's lurid career was ended and that he had ceased
to be, he leaps upon the mountains and reappears in his habit as he
lived! Nor can we doubt that he lives indeed. He is no ghost, my
friend, but a solid, shadow-easting man, who may be seeking my life
by reason of his distempered mind."

"It is romance," declared Virgilio, "but romance of a very grim and
painful description. You are, however, safe enough with me, for I
would gladly shed my blood to save yours."

"Well I know it, rare Virgilio," declared the other. "But we shall
not long impose ourselves upon your courage and generosity. We have
written to England for Peter Ganns who, by God's providence, is now
in that country and hoped to visit me in a few months. We have also
called upon Giuseppe Doria to return at once to us. When he does so
I am content to sleep at home again; but not sooner."

Signor Poggi hastened to order a meal worthy of the occasion, while
his wife, who was also a devoted admirer of the Englishman, prepared
apartments. Nothing but delight filled Poggi's mind at the
opportunity to serve his dearest companion. An ample meal was
planned and Jenny helped her hostess in its preparation.

Poggi drank to the temporal and eternal welfare of his first friend
and Albert returned the compliment. They enjoyed a pleasant meal and
then sat through the June twilight in Virgilio's rose garden,
smelled the fragrance of oleanders and myrtles in the evening
breeze, saw the fireflies flash their little lamps over dim olive
and dark cypress, and heard the summer thunder growling genially
over the mountain crowns of Campione and Croce.

Mr. Redmayne's niece retired early and Maria Poggi with her, but
Virgilio and Albert talked far into the night and smoked many cigars
before they slept.

At nine o'clock next morning Mr. Redmayne and Jenny were rowed home
again, only to hear that no intruder had broken upon the nightly
peace of Villa Pianezzo. Nor did the day bring any news. Once more
they repaired to Bellagio before dark, and for three days lived
thus. Then there came a telegram from Turin to say that Doria was
returning immediately to Como and might soon be expected via Milan;
while on the morning that actually brought him to Menaggio, his wife
received a brief letter from Mark Brendon. He had found Mr. Ganns
and the two wo