"Where I had the pleasure of meeting Signor Ferrari," observed Mrs. Belswin, ceremoniously. At this the signor bowed, but made no remark, so Maxwell, seeing that he would not commit himself to speech unless questioned, began at once on the main object of the interview. "Mrs. Belswin, I presume, told you I wished to see you, Signor Ferrari?" The Italian bowed. "About an article of jewellery belonging to you?" Ferrari bowed again. "Which was found on the terrace at Thornstream, the residence of the late Sir Rupert Pethram?" The signor bowed for the third time and Maxwell, hot-blooded in all things, began to lose his temper at this persistent silence. "Well, sir," he said, sharply, "perhaps you will be kind enough to inform me how this scarf-pin came to be on the terrace in question." "One moment," said Ferrari, politely lifting his hand. "Will you kindly tell me who found what you have?" Maxwell hesitated a moment, but seeing no reason why he should conceal the part Mrs. Belk had taken in the affair, spoke out boldly. "A woman you don't know--Mrs. Belk." "Dio!" "Great Heavens!" These ejaculations proceeded, the first from Ferrari, the second from Mrs. Belswin, and in hearing them Maxwell looked suspiciously from the one to the other. "You seem surprised." "So will you be surprised," said Mrs. Belswin, gloomily, "when you hear what the signor has to tell you." "I am at Signor Ferrari's service." "Per Bacco! it is most strange," cried Ferrari, throwing himself back on his sky-blue sofa. "Alfieri himself could have thought nothing so terrible." "The story, sir, the story." "Eh, signor, I excite your wonder," said the Italian, equably. "Is it not so? Dio, I myself am lost in fear. Signor, I will tell all." Maxwell bit his nether lip with impatience at the leisurely way in which Ferrari was acting, as he saw from the agitation of Mrs. Belswin that the name of the woman who had found the scarf-pin moved her powerfully. "Signor," said Ferrari, gracefully, "I departed with the signora here to the villagio on the day you saw me. Myself I waited at the osteria you know of, I doubt not. The signora departed to the casa of Il----" "Of Sir Rupert," interrupted Mrs. Belswin, quickly. "Grazia, signora. To the casa of Seer Ruperts. I am alone, and I weary of being myself at the osteria. See, then, signor, I take a leetle walk for amusement. I come to the ground of Seer Ruperts, and there I meet a galantuomo, handsome as the Apollo." "Samson Belk?"