“But I returned too late.  Once back again, a glance at the dummy showed me that I had lost my chance.  It had been handled.  The trunk was in one place, the grass head, with my cap upon it, lay in another.  One knew that no fox or other wild creature would have disturbed it thus.

“Dead silence hung over the spot; and now, half fearing an ambush in my turn, I waited an hour before emerging.  Not a soul was there.  Redmayne had clearly come, discovered my escape and then departed again.  Even in that moment I considered what I should have done had he confiscated my clothes!  It would then have been necessary to tramp to my hotel in the white shirt and scanty underclothing which was all that remained to me.  But now I donned my jacket and knickerbockers, cap and stockings and then prepared to depart.

“There was a smell of earth in the air—­a reek of upturned mould; but what that may have been I cannot say.  I soon started downhill and, presently, striking a path to the north, entered the chestnut woods and was at my hotel an hour after midnight.  That is my story and I propose to-day to revisit the spot.  I shall engage the local police who have orders to assist us—­that is, unless you, Doria, can spare time to accompany me yourself.  I would rather not ask them; but I do not go there again alone.”

Jenny looked at her husband and waited to speak until he had done so.  But Giuseppe appeared more interested at what had already happened to Brendon than in what was next to happen.  He asked many questions, to which Mark was able to return true replies.  Then he declared that he would certainly accompany the detective to the scene of his adventure.

“We will go armed this time,” he said.

But Jenny protested.

“Mr. Brendon is not nearly well enough to climb there again to-day,” she declared.  “He is lame and must be feeling the effects of yesterday.  I beg him not to attempt to go again so soon.”

Doria said nothing but looked at Mark.

“I shall best lose my stiffness by another climb,” he assured them.

“That is very true.  We will be in no hurry.”

“If you go, I come too,” said the woman quietly; and both men protested.  But she would take no denial.

“I will carry your meal for you,” she said, and though they opposed her again, went off to prepare it.  Giuseppe also disappeared, that he might leave an order for the day with Ernesto, and Jenny had joined Brendon again before he returned.  He had begged her once more not to accompany them; but she was impatient.

“How dull you are for all your fame, Mark”; she replied.  “Can you not think and put two and two together where I am concerned, as you do in everything else?  I am safe enough with my husband.  It will not pay him to destroy me—­yet.  But you.  Even now I implore you not to go up again alone.  He is as wily as a cat.  He will make some excuse, disappear and meet the other villain.  They won’t fail twice—­and what can a woman do to help you against two of them?”