his small experience of her company; but that might be because she responded, as a delicate instrument, to her environment; and he himself had never been anything but serious beside her.  With the Italian, no doubt, there had happened moments when she could sometimes smile and forget.  Doria’s own affairs, of which he loved to chatter, had doubtless often distracted Mrs. Pendean from her own melancholy reflection, and in any case she could not sigh forever at her age.

The return of the motor boat arrested his reflections.  She had been gone about an hour when Mark perceived her running very swiftly homeward.  Guessing that Bendigo Redmayne and his brother were now aboard, he prepared to retire until the following day to the room he occupied.  He had arranged to be invisible unless Robert Redmayne were willing to see him and discuss the future.

But Doria once more came back to “Crow’s Nest” alone, and what he had to tell soon altered the detective’s plans.  For Giuseppe was much concerned and feared that evil had overtaken his master.

“After the time was up, I ran in,” he said, “and the rising tide brought me within a few yards of the mouth of the cave.  The light was burning but I could see neither of them.  I hailed twice and got no answer.  All was still as the grave and I went near enough to the shore to satisfy myself that there was nobody there.  The cave was empty.  Now I am a good deal alarmed and I come back to you.”

“You didn’t land?”

“I didn’t touch shore, but I was within five yards of the cave, none the less, for the tide is now risen.  The light shone upon emptiness.  I beg you will return with me, for I feel that some evil thing may have happened.”

Much puzzled, Brendon delayed only to get his revolver and an electric torch.  He then descended with Doria to the water and they were soon afloat again.  The boat ran at full speed for a few minutes; then her course was changed and she turned in under the cliffs.  Mark soon saw a solitary gleam of light, like a glowworm, at sea level in the solid darkness of the precipices, and Doria, slowing down, crept in toward it.  Presently he shut off his engine and the launch grounded her prow on a little beach before the entrance of Robert Redmayne’s hiding-place.  The lamp shone brightly, but its illumination, though serving to show the cavern empty, was not sufficient to light its lofty roof, or reveal a second exit, where a tunnel ran up at the rear and could be climbed by steps roughly hewn in the stone.

“It is a place my master showed me long ago,” explained Doria.  “It was used by smugglers in the old days and they have cut steps that still exist.”