their missions, and he and Peter walked to the landing stage with
them and saw them departing in different steamers.

Even this arrangement, however, failed to satisfy Ganns. He was
mysterious.

"If his steamboat stopped nowhere between here and Como, we wouldn't
need to trouble," he said; "but as it does, and Doria might hop off
anywhere and come back in an hour, we'll just drift back to Albert."

"He will be asleep and we can have our yarn out without fear of
interruption," answered Mark.

They soon sat together on a shady seat of the villa garden from
which the entrance was visible, and Peter, bringing out his
notebook, took a great pinch of snuff, set his gold box on a little
table before him, and turned to Brendon.

"You shoot first," he said; "there are three things I need to know.
Have you seen the red man and what is your present opinion
concerning Doria and his wife? Needn't ask if you found Bendigo's
diary, because I am dead sure you did not."

"I didn't. I directed Jenny to have a hunt and she invited me to
help her. For the rest I have seen Robert Redmayne, for we may
safely speak of the unknown by that name, and I have come to a very
definite conclusion concerning Giuseppe Doria and the unfortunate
woman who is at present his wife."

A shadow of a smile passed over the great features of Peter.