He was very agitated and his eyes shone.  He breathed hard and wiped the hair away from his forehead.  He had evidently been out in the rain, for water glistened on his shoulders and face.

“Suffer me to drink,” he said.  “I have been frightened.”

Bendigo pushed the bottle and an empty tumbler across his table and the other sat down and helped himself.

“Be quick; what the devil’s the matter?  He’ll be here in a minute—­my brother.”

“No, he will not be here.  I have seen and spoken with him—­he’s not coming to you.”

Doria helped himself very sparingly to some spirits; then he explained.

“I was going the rounds and just about to turn out the oil lamp over the front gate as usual when I remembered Mr. Redmayne.  That is half an hour ago and I thought it would be better to leave the lamp, to guide him, for the night is dark and wild.  I came down the ladder therefore; but I had already been seen.  He was waiting under the shelter of the rocks on the other side of the road, where there is a pent roof of natural stone; and seeing me he remembered me and came and spoke a little.  He was full of new fear and dread.  He said that people had been hunting him and that even now men were hidden not far off to take him.  I assured him it was not so and swore to him that you were alone and desired only to succour him.  I used my best words and prayed him to come in swiftly and let me shut the outer gate and make it fast; but his suspicions grew; the fear of a hunted animal was in his eyes.  He misunderstood me.  Terror conquered him and what I had said, to make him feel safe, acted in the contrary way.  He would not come within the gate but sent a message that you are to come to him instead, if you still will to save him.  He is a very sick soul and will not last long.  I saw death in his eyes under the lamplight.”

There was a pause while Bendigo slowly took in this change in the situation.  Then he lifted his voice and spoke, not to Doria, but to the man in hiding.

“Come right out, Brendon,” he said.  “The game’s up for to-night as you’ve heard.  Doria has seen Bob, and he’s frightened the poor beggar off apparently.  Anyway he’s not coming.”

Mark emerged and Giuseppe gazed in astonishment.  His mind evidently ran backward and his face flushed with annoyance.

“Corpo di Bacco!” he swore.  “Then you heard my confidences.  You are a sneak!”

“Stow that,” cried Bendigo.  “Brendon’s here because I wished it for my brother’s good.  I wanted him to know what passed—­and your love affairs are neither here nor there.  He’ll not use anything he heard that don’t concern his proper business.  What did Robert say?”

But Doria was angry.  He opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again, looked first at Brendon and then at his master and breathed hard.

“Get on,” said Bendigo.  “Shall I go out to the man, or has he gone?”