Giovanni Massetti, and
you know it, your plain duty as my brother is to tell me. Will you not
tell me, Esperance?"

Instead of replying, the young man buried his face in his hands and
fairly sobbed in his anguish. Zuleika was filled with pity for him, and,
as she gazed at him, tears came into her eyes; but still bent on
discovering the nature of the obstacle that had so suddenly loomed up
between Giovanni and herself, she continued after a pause, in the same
coaxing voice:

"Esperance, I am no longer a child and should not be treated as one.
What I ask of you is only reasonable and just. If I stand on the brink
of a gulf I cannot see, it is your duty to inform me not only of my
danger but also of its nature. Am I not right?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Esperance replied:

"Yes, you are right, Zuleika; it is my duty to tell you all--and yet I
cannot!"

"At least, tell me why you are compelled to maintain silence on a
matter of so much importance."

"Did you question the Viscount?"

"I did."

"And what answer did he return?"

"Like you, he refused to answer."

"Ah! then he has some sense of shame left!"

"Shame?"

"Yes, shame! And what did you do when he refused to speak?"

"I left him."

"And you will not see him again?"

"Not until he has decided to tell me all."

"Then you will never put eyes upon him more; he dare not tell you!"

"Dare not! And why?"

"Because, did you know the depth of his infamy, you would spurn him from
you!"

Suddenly a grave suspicion stole into Zuleika's mind and made her
tremble from head to foot. Might it not be that Esperance had been as
deeply involved in the mysterious and infamous affair of which he
declined to speak as Giovanni Massetti himself? The thought was torment,
and totally unable to restrain her keen anxiety to be instantly informed
upon this topic, Zuleika gasped out:

"Were you not, Esperance, as guilty as your former friend?"

The young man leaped to his feet as if a tarantula had bitten him.

"No, no!" cried he. "I was innocent of all blame in the matter! Luigi
Vampa----"

He abruptly checked himself and stood staring at his sister, as if in
dismay at having unguardedly uttered the brigand's name.

But Zuleika said nothing. Giovanni Massetti also had protested his
innocence, and the young girl knew not what to believe. Luigi Vampa? So
then he had been a party to this mysterious and terrible business,
whatever it was! And again she thought of the ab