inking Doria with the mystery, or associating him with
Robert Redmayne. For despite Peter's luminous analysis, Mark still
regarded the unknown as Albert Redmayne's brother; and he could find
no reasonable argument for associating Giuseppe with this person,
either at present or in the past. Everything rather pointed in a
contrary direction. Brendon traversed the incidents connected with
Bendigo Redmayne's disappearance, yet he could recall nothing
suspicious about Giuseppe's conduct at "Crow's Nest"; and if it
seemed unreasonable to suppose he had taken a hand in the second
tragedy, it appeared still less likely that he could be associated
with the first.

It was true that Doria had wedded Pendean's widow; but that he
should have slain her husband in order to do so appeared a grotesque
assumption. Moreover, as a student of character, Mark could not
honestly find in Jenny's husband any characteristics that argued a
malevolent attitude to life. He was a pleasure-loving spirit and his
outlook and ambitions, while frivolous, were certainly not criminal.
He talked of the smugglers a good deal and declared himself in
sympathy with them; but it was gasconade; he evinced no particular
physical bravery; he was fond of his comforts and seemed little
likely to risk his own liberty by association with breakers of law
and order.

A startling proof that Mark had not erred in this estimate was
afforded by a conversation which he enjoyed with Doria on a day soon
after the departure of Albert Redmayne and his friend. Giuseppe and
his wife had planned to visit an acquaintance at Colico, to the
northward of the lake; and before the steamer started, after noon,
the two men took a stroll in the hills a mile above Menaggio.
Brendon had asked for some private conversation and the other gladly
agreed.

"As you know, I'm going to spend the day in the red man's haunt,"
explained Mark, "and I'll call at supper time since you wish it; but
before you go, I'll ask you to stroll along for an hour. I want to
talk to you."

"That will suit me very well," said the other, and in half an hour
he returned to Brendon, found him chatting with Jenny in the dark
portal of the silkworm house, and drew him away.

"You shall have speech with her to-night after supper," promised
Giuseppe. "Now it is my turn. We will ascend to the little shrine on
the track above the orchards. There are shrines too many to the Holy
Mother, my friend. But this one is not to M