but it came from a man who was already
strong. Kalmon could only shake his head gravely; he could find nothing
to say in answer to such a question, and yet he was too human and kind
and simple-hearted not to understand the words that rose to Marcello's
lips.

"Then she was happy to the end--then she still believes in him."

Kalmon turned his clear eyes thoughtfully towards Marcello's face.

"She is gone," he answered. "She knows the great secret now. The rest is
nothing to the dead. But we are living and it is much to us. The man
must be brought to justice, and you must help me to bring him down, if
we have to hunt him round the world."

"By God, I will!" said Marcello, in the tone of one who takes a solemn
obligation.

He rose and stood upright, as if he were ready, and though he was still
pale there was no look of weak horror left in his face, nor any weakness
at all.

"Good!" exclaimed Kalmon. "I would rather see you so. Now listen to me,
and collect your thoughts, Marcello. Ercole is in Rome. You remember
Ercole, your keeper at the cottage by the shore? Yes. I got the last
link in the evidence about Corbario's attack on you from him to-day. He
is a strange fellow. He has known it since last summer and has kept it
to himself. But he is one of those diabolically clever peasants that one
meets in the Campagna, and he must have his reasons. I told him to sleep
at my house to-night, and when I went home he was sitting up in the
entry with his dog. I have sent him to the station to find out whether
Corbario really left or not. You don't think he will succeed? I tell you
there are few detectives to be compared with one of those fellows when
they are on the track of a man they hate. I told him to come here, no
matter how late it might be, since he is your man. I suppose he can get
in?"

"Of course. There is a night-bell for the porter. Ercole knows that.
Besides, the porter will not go to bed as long as you are here. While we
are waiting for him, tell me what Ercole has found out."

They sat down again, and Kalmon told Marcello the sailor's story of what
his captain had seen from the deck of the brigantine. Marcello listened
gravely.

"I remember that there was a small vessel very far in," he said. "Aurora
will remember it, too, for she watched it and spoke of it. We thought it
must run aground on the bar, it was so very near."

"Yes. She remembers it, too. The evidence is complete."

There was silence again.