Made anxious by her absence, I had descended the narrow stairs to inquire after her, and nearly burst in upon their conclave. A recognition of their voices made me pull up with my fingers on the latch, and then return with a cat's tread to the place whence I had come. A week ago my first impulse would have been to evacuate the spot there and then, so that even if I were followed, my start would be a good one. But the last few days had changed me much. From being absolutely self-reliant, I had grown to be curiously dependent again. I shrank from taking a flight alone. And, moreover, there was another thing that held me back: I could not bear to rush away so suddenly from my companion. It seemed to me that if I deserted her then, I should never see that woman more; and rather than that should befall, I was prepared to brave anything. So I waited in that bare, whitewashed sitting-room, and waited and waited till she came, fearing desperately for the safety of my great treasure, yet determined to expose it to any risk rather than beat retreat alone. It was a torturing vigil. * * * * * The clocks had long struck midnight, and the _sereno_ had several times raised his dirge-like chaunt in the street outside, before my companion came to me. She wasted no time in preliminaries. I think she could see by my outward expression that I knew how danger threatened, and so she told in as few words as possible what she had learnt. "I hope you can understand it," she said at the conclusion. "I confess the most is gibberish to me, but it seemed to concern you, and so I thought would be interesting." "I am deeply grateful. But let me explain." "Don't think it an obligation, Mr. Pether. There seems to be some little mystery about the matter, and I do not want to pry into your affairs." "I wish you would." "Why?" "Because then I could feel that you took an interest in me." "Believe me, I do--a deep interest." I groped and found her hand. It pressed mine with a slight tremble. "You pity me because I am blind." "I am deeply grieved for your misfortune." "Ah"--I dropped the hand, and sighed regretfully--"only pity. But, then, what else could I expect?" "What would you have?" she asked softly. "I had hoped for love. I had prayed that I might be loved, as I love." And then? Why, honestly, I do not know how it came about, but in a minute or so each knew concerning the other all there was to tell. "I should not even mind resigning the Recipe now that I have got you," I told her. "Ah, but," she said, with a little laugh, "if we are going into partnership, you and I, the interests of the firm must be looked after. There is no packet leaving the island for two days, so you must wire Sadi in Palma to hire a steamer and have it ready for us. The train leaves La Puebla at 7.55. We will go down to meet it by that." "But Cospatric and his friends will most certainly go by the same train."