ny's hand tighten hard upon her arm.
Jenny uttered one loud cry of terror and then relaxed and fell
unconscious upon the ground. The widow leaped to her aid, cried
comfortable words and prayed the young wife to fear nothing; but it
was some time before Jenny came to her senses and when she did so
her nerve appeared to have deserted her.

"Did you see him?" she gasped, clinging to Assunta and gazing
fearfully where her uncle had stood.

"Yes, yes--a big, red man; but he meant us no harm. When you cried
out, he was more frightened than we. He leaped down, like a red fox,
into the wood and disappeared. He was not an Italian. A German or
Englishman, I think. Perhaps a smuggler planning to fetch tea and
cigars and coffee and salt from Switzerland. If he leaves enough for
the doganieri, they will wink at him. If he does not, they will
shoot him--sons of dogs!"

"Remember what you saw!" said Jenny tremulously: "Remember exactly
what he looked like, that you may be able to tell Uncle Albert just
how it was, Assunta. He is Uncle Albert's brother--Robert Redmayne!"

Assunta Marzelli knew something of the mystery and understood that
her master's brother was being hunted for great crimes.

She crossed herself.

"Merciful God! The evil man. And so red! Let us fly, signora."

"Which way did he go?"

"Straight down through the wood beneath us."

"Did he recognize me, Assunta? Did he seem to know me? I dared not
look a second time."

Assunta partially followed the question.

"No. He did not look either. He stared out over the lake and his
face was like a lost soul's face. Then you cried out and still he
did not look but disappeared. He was not angry."

"Why is he here? How has he come and where from?"

"Who shall say? Perhaps the master will know."

"I am in great fear for the master, Assunta. We must go home as
quickly as possible."

"Is there danger to the signor from his brother?"

"I do not know. I think there may be."

Jenny helped Assunta with her great basket, lifted it on her
shoulders and then set off beside her. But the rate of progress
proved too slow for her patience.

"I have a horrible dread," she said. "Something tells me that we
ought to be going faster. Would you be frightened if I were to leave
you, Assunta, and make greater haste?"

The other managed to understand and declared that she felt no fear.

"I have no quarrel with the red man," she said. "Why should he hurt
me? Perhaps he was not