"Tell them, Giuseppe," directed Mr. Redmayne.

"Your gift--the gold box--take a pinch," said Peter holding out his
snuff to the old bookworm; but the master of Villa Pianezzo refused
and lighted a cigar.

"I will have smoke rather than dust, my precious Peter," he said.

"The man has been seen twice since you heard from my wife," began
Doria. "Once I met him face to face on the hill, where I walked
alone to reflect on my own affairs; and once--the night before
last--he came here. Happily Mr. Redmayne's room overlooks the lake
and the garden walls are high, so he could not reach it; but the
bedroom of Mr. Redmayne's man, Ernesto, is upon the side that stands
up to the road.

"Robert Redmayne came at two o'clock, flung pebbles at the window,
wakened Ernesto, and demanded to be let in to see his brother. But
the Italian had been warned exactly what to say and do if such a
thing happened. He speaks English well and told the unfortunate man
that he must appear by day. Ernesto then mentioned a certain place,
a mile from here in a secluded valley--a little bridge that spans a
stream--and directed Robert to await his brother at that spot on the
following day at noon. This my Uncle Alberto had already planned in
the event of his brother reappearing.

"Having heard this, the red man departed without more words and your
friend, greatly courageous, kept the appointment that he had made,
taking only me with him. We were there before midday and waited
until after two o'clock. But nobody came to us and we saw neither
man nor woman.

"For my own part I feel very certain that Robert Redmayne was hidden
near at hand, and that he would have come out quickly enough had his
brother been alone; but of course Uncle Alberto would not go alone,
and we would not have allowed him to do so in any case."

Peter listened intently to these words.

"And what of your meeting with him?" he asked.

"That was clearly an accident on Robert Redmayne's part. I happened
to be walking, deep in thought near the spot where my wife first saw
him, and, rounding a corner, I suddenly confronted the man sitting
on a rock by the path. He started at my footfall, looked up, clearly
recognized me, hesitated, and then leaped into the bushes. I
endeavoured to follow but he distanced me. He is harbouring aloft
there and may be in touch with some charcoal burner above in the
mountains. He was strong and agile and moved swiftly."

"How was he dressed?"

"Exac