ron and laurel made dense evergreen cover beneath the pines and offered inviolable shelter. To follow Robert Redmayne wa

left at "Crow's Nest," for it was a coincidence almost inconceivable that on this day of his chance visit, the wanted man should suddenly reapp

but therein was a source of strength, not weakness, and no grain of superstition weakened his mental endowment. He knew also that no one had been farther from his

the subject before seeking the assistance of the Dartmouth police. He felt that she would not deceive him, or answer a direct appeal with a lie. And then there flashed upon him the painful convicti

d not confound the thoughts of duty and love nor did he even dream that success in one might depend upon neglect of the other. He had only to raise the question to answer it, and he swiftly determined that not Jenny, or her Uncle Bendigo, or anybody on earth should prevent him from securing Robert Redmay

ease, sir," she said. "He's by the name of Mr. Doria and

mplified, Mark bade the girl summon his visit

where. Yet I guessed you would choose the best hotel and I guessed rightly. I will eat my breakfast with you, if you plea

endean, has turned up?" asked Brendon, finishi

How did you kno

een him, before the tragedy on Dartmoor, and I remembered

oria. "He has not been yet to

e is near, if he has not

ook food and drink. The farmer hears him and comes upon him sitting eating in the kitchen-a big man with a red head and a red mustache and a red waistcoat. The man, when he sees Mr. Brook-th

icycle and ride here at my best speed to catch you, if it may be done before you go. I succeed, but I cannot stay with you; I must return to keep guard. I do not like to f

as now completed. "I'll get a motor in a quart

growing excitement. He begged Brendon to bring othe

hing until I have seen Mr. Bendigo at 'Crow's Nest' and heard his views. If Rober

ffs, hinted at his business, and ordered a police car to be ready as quickly as possible. A constable drove him and before setting out he told the local c

nearly blown itself out and the morning was clear and cold. Be

ow little doubt that Robert Redmayne must be the man who broke into Strete Farm for food, since Mark's experience of the previous night tended to confirm the fact. He had seen Redmayne some hours before the fugitive alarmed the ho

," said Brendon, "and is considering how to approac

him no harm, he might trust her, too, but he may not believe that she's good Christian enough to forgive

survey map of the district, suggested an immediate sea

y reached a mental condition of tension and torture in which he will not be sorry to find himself among friendly and understanding fellow creatures. There are two districts which especially suggest themselves to me to search in: the shore, where there are many caves and crevices above sea level s

ed Doria who had no

Giuseppe considered that she might.

st, of course, turn the constabulary out and hunt him down. To-day we can go over the places you name and I reckon you've hit the most likely burrows for the poor man. I dare say,

and there at little coves, and they may sight my brother poking about, or hid in some hole down that way. There are caves with tunnels aft that give on the rough lands and coombs behind. It's a pretty lone regio

oods than the coast. Moreover he knew himself an indifferent sailor and perceived that the

he coast and has a look into the caves as you propose," he said. "No doubt Doria can be trusted to see sharply after her. Meantime

e is a famous criminal and who ever runs him to his earth a

pt a pair of strong Zeiss glasses fixed upon the cliffs and shore. They were soon reduced to a white speck under the misty weather; and after they had gone, Bendigo, in a sailor's pea-jacket and cap, lighted a pipe, took a big black-thorn sti

tinued to do so. It was a subject on whic

rent from what she was as a girl. But there's very little doubt that Doria's growing awful fond of her-and when that sort loves a woman he generally finds she's not unwilling to meet him halfway. I bel

ked a q

d altered his wife's characte

eloped than any of us and he handed 'em down. She was a wilful thing-plucky and fond of mischief. Her school fellows thought the world of her because she laughed at discipline; and from one school she got expelled fo

the sudden, awful shock of her husband's death. These things would uni

the time, and what I'm seeing now, I judge, is the young woman slowly coming back to herself under the influence of this Latin chap. He's cunning, too. He knows how to tickle her vanity, for even she has got a bit of womanly conceit in her, though less vain of her wonderful face no woman could be. But Doria has taken good care to

he will accept h

bout it; but he's a volatile dev

n his turn ask

money since this bad business. How he's lived all the time only he himself knows. But supp

tely go to you a

ceiving a description of the fugitive, he bade them go where they pleased and himself promised to keep a sharp watch. He had two mates

duced neither sign nor clue of the man they sought, and after three hours of steady tramping, whi

d not only seen Robert Redmayne but had reached him; and she returned very distressed and somewhat hysterical, while Doria, having done great

the interest of the tale was such that Bendigo lost sight of Jenny in the picture she now pain

and could not recognize me, as we were more than half a mile from shore. Then Giuseppe suggested landing and so approaching him. The thing was t

ent first and crept along, with me behind him, until we had reached to within twenty-five yards. The poor wretch saw us then and leaped up, but it was too late and Giuseppe reached him in a moment and explained that I came as a friend. Doria was prepared to detain him i

ne?" aske

ce has changed from a boom into a whisper; his eyes are haunted. He is thin and full of terror. He made me send Doria out of earshot and then told me that he had only come here to see you. He has been he

aved like a sane man, Mrs

him to come with me in the boat and see Uncle Bendigo and trust to the mercy of his fellow men. I didn't feel a traitor in asking him to do this; for I imagine, though seemingly sane now, he must in reality be mad, since only madness could explain the past, and he will

t if Uncle Bendigo would see him quite alone and swear, before God, not to hinder his departure in

r you mention after midnight. But first you must give your written oath before God that you will have nobody with you, and that you will neither set a trap for him nor seek to detain him. His hope is that you will give him means and clothes, so that he may leave England safely and ge

dmayne

wretch some food and drink and the lamp. How he has

n in France

termine a course of action and

seeing he is still free and has succeeded in existing and avoiding the police in two countries, one can only say that with his madness he has dev

can walk straight in and mount up to me in the tower, and I'll swear the needful oath that he shall see nobody else and be free to go again when he pleases

fear of the man, then you can see him as you suggest. You understand, howev

go no

nyway. Albert's a weak, nervous sort of man and he'd have a

can hope is that he may soon be in a position of security, both for himself and other people. You will do well to see him,

ree to depart again when he desired to do so. But, none the less, he expressed an earnest hope that his brother would stop at "Crow's Nest," and be advised as to his future actions. Some provisions were

she left and Giuseppe drove the l

r of "Crow's Nest," watching the launch, and when she had vanished westward into a grey,

much like facing him for this reason. A madman's a madman, and we can't expect a madman to be any too reasonable if we oppose him, however tactfully. I should be powerless if he got off his head, or

ence, he needn't know anybody else is there. But if I was put into danger, I might tackle him mercifully with somebody to he

e force of thi

in a case like this, you couldn't blame yourself e

o let him come and go again free, and that oath I mus

aid Mark. "No doubt Doria is a man you can r

go shook

than they are already; and I don't want them, or anybody, to know that I've got a friend hid along with me in the tower when Robert comes. They underst

n cons

ing the terms, I couldn't press for it," he said. "Now I agree and, what's more, I

u can go up to the tower and get into the big case I keep my flags and odds and ends in. There are holes bored for ventilation at the height of a

on no

er goes free presently; and no doubt Mrs. Pendean will only wait until

o, that's all that signifies for the minute. And all anybody but ourselves will believe

the old sailor, he climbed to the tower room, inspected the great cupboard, and found that he could follow the course of events very comfortably from within. Holes of th

sequel. "As soon as your brother has left the house, it is certain that Mrs. Pendean, p

r. Or else you can appear when he has gone and reveal yourself and tell Jenny that it was your own wish to stop without letting anybody know it bu

t, to make certain inquiries, but would return early on the following morning. She expressed surprise that he h

ly where he indicated," she said, "on a forlorn spot, above

ustom to keep the tower room locked when not himself in it, and he did so now until the night should come. He supped with Jenny and the Italian, having already provided Brendon

only ten minutes and then departed to bed. The weather had turned stormy and wet. A shouting wind from the west shook the lantern of the tower r

break his neck climbing up from th

g of tobacco, and two or three clay pipes, for the old sea captain never

and asked Do

," he said, "and you're a clever man and know a bit

so," answered the servant; "and t

ak out again and c

husband, he was mad; now he is not mad-not more mad