“And told you to bring it to the island and put it in the house to-night?”

“Si, Signore.”

“Are you sure it was Peppina your mother wished to do evil?”

“Si, Signore, quite sure. Peppina is a bad girl. She made my Patrigno mad. She brought trouble to our house.”

“You love the Signora, don’t you, Ruffo?”

His face changed and grew happier at once.

“Si, Signore. I love the Signora and the Signorina.”

He would not leave out Vere. Artois’s heart warmed to him for that.

“Ruffo—”

While he had been on the crest of the island an idea had come to him. At first he had put it from him. Now, suddenly, he caressed it, he resolved to act on its prompting.