w many a bad man and, for that matter, how many an
innocent man, has come to grief in the attempt. Tell me this. Does
Giuseppe know that you no longer love him?"

She shook her head.

"I have hid it. The time has not come to let him know that. He would
be revenged, and God knows what form his revenge might take. Till I
have escaped from him, he must not dream that I have changed."

"That's your feeling? Well, the questions are two. Do you know
enough about him to assist and justify your escape and, if you do,
are you prepared to confide your knowledge to me?"

"I do not know enough," she answered. "He is a very clever man under
his light-hearted and easy-going manners. He is, I believe, faithful
to me, and he takes care never to be unkind in the presence or
hearing of a third person. But this I think: that he knows very well
what you've just told me--that all the Redmayne money must sooner
or later be mine."

"And yet he behaves to you as though he were a devil? That's not
very clever of him."

"I can't explain. Perhaps I have said too much. His cruelty is very
subtle. Italian husbands,--"

"I know all about Italian husbands. We'll talk over this again when
you have had time to think a little. There's a reason for your hate
and distrust of him, no doubt. You would not pretend such emotions.
He's faithful, you say, so perhaps that reason is linked with
knowledge you do not care to impart to me--or anybody? Perhaps it
embraces the mystery man we want to catch--Robert Redmayne? Does
Doria know more about him than you or I do! And you have found it
out? There may be quite a number of things that make you hate Doria.
So think it over and consider if to hear any of them would help me."

Jenny looked at Peter with profound interest.

"You are a very wonderful man, Mr. Ganns."

"Not a bit--only practiced in the jig-saw puzzle we call life.
Attach no special importance to what I have just said, or the
possibilities I have just thrown out. I may be altogether wrong. I
have only at present your word that Signor Doria is not a kind
husband. I may not agree with you when I know him better. You may
not be a judge. Your first husband was perhaps so exceptional that
the norm of husbands is unknown to you. My mind is quite open on
the subject, because I have often found that a wife knows much less
about her husband's character than do other people. Remember that
hate blinds quite as frequently as love; and love turned to ha