"I am glad you can laugh," he told her. "You were very sad, there at
Terranova."
"I've learned the value of a smile. Life is full of gladness if we can only bring ourselves to see it. Now tell me the meaning of this. I knew it must be important or I would not have come." Back of the bench upon which she had seated herself a jessamine vine depended, filling the air with perfume; the night was warm and still and languorous; through the gloom she regarded him with curiosity.
"I hate to begin," he said. "I dread to speak of unpleasant things—to you. I wish we might just sit here and talk of whatever we pleased."
"We cannot sit here long on any account. But let me guess. It is your work against—those men."
"Exactly. You know the history of our struggle with the Mafia?"
"Everything."
"I am leading a hard fight, and I think you can help me."
"Why do you think so?" she asked, in a low voice. "I have given up my part. I have no desire for revenge."
"Nor have I. I do not wish to harm any man; but I became involved in this through a desire to see justice done, and I have reached a point where I cannot stop or go back. It started with the arrest of Gian Narcone. You know how Donnelly was killed. They took his life for Narcone's, and he, too, was my—dear friend."
"All this is familiar to me," she said, in a strained tone.