pleted and Albert destroyed,
good Ganns would swiftly prove, to his own satisfaction, that I
could not be associated with that crime and so feel his whole theory
open to suspicion. Had I known that Peter was at his goal, my first
thought might have been to disappear instantly and only appear again
under a new impersonation, a year or two later, when the storm was
over. In that case I should have indicated how "Giuseppe Doria" had
committed suicide and left every tactful and sufficing proof of the
fact.

But I never guessed the majestic heights of Peter's genius and,
taking the chance of his temporary absence, slew Albert with a
simple trick. There was only Mark Brendon to prevent it; and Jenny,
having reserved her final and irresistible appeal for some such
vital occasion, found no difficulty in absorbing all Marco's limited
intelligence, while awakening for him fond hopes and visions of a
notable future in her arms. It needs to be pointed out that this
worthy person's infatuation served again and again to prosper the
situation for us and handicap the efforts of Peter Ganns; but that
Ganns should have trusted him upon that all-important night to
shepherd Albert from my attention, only shows how Peter never
appreciated the limitations of his assistant. Yes, even Peter was
human, all too human.

While Jenny related her sufferings and made appeal to her listener's
overmastering devotion, I left the house and Brendon saw me go. To
get a boat, that I might cross to Bellagio, was the work of ten
minutes. I took one without troubling the owner, loaded a dozen
heavy stones and soon rowed to Villa Pianezzo and ascended the water
steps. A black beard was all the disguise I used, save that I had
left my coat in the boat and appeared before Redmayne in shirt
sleeves.

With trembling accents I related to Assunta, who of course knew me
not, that Poggi was taken fatally ill and might hardly hope to last
an hour. It was enough. I returned to the boat and in three minutes
Albert joined me and offered me untold gold to row as I had never
rowed before. A hundred and fifty yards from shore I directed him to
pass into the bow of the boat, explaining that I should so make
greater speed. As he passed me, the little pole-axe fell. He
suffered nothing and in five minutes more, with heavy stones
fastened to feet and arms, he sank beneath Como. The pole-axe
followed, its work completed. In more spacious times the weapon
would have become an