arer, Francesco Marucci, is to be trusted implicitly.--Muriel
Mortimer."

That was all.  Surely no better credential could there be than the
return of the treasured love-token which she had so ingeniously secured.

"Well?" he inquired, refolding the paper and replacing it in its
envelope.  "And your message?  What is it?"

"A confidential one," replied the Tuscan.  "The Signorina ordered me to
find you at once, the instant that I reached London.  I left Florence
the day before yesterday and travelled straight through, by way of Milan
and Bale.  She gave me the address of that palazzo where you have been
visiting, and I waited in the street until you came out."

"But you have told me that I am watched," said Dudley.  "Who is taking
an interest in my movements?"

"That is the reason why I am in London.  As the signore is watched by
the most practised and experienced secret agents, it was with difficulty
that I succeeded in approaching him.  If those men track me down and
discover who I am, then all will be lost--everything."

The paper he held in his hand told him that this stranger could be
trusted.  He was essentially a man of the world, and was not in the
habit of trusting those whom he did not know.  And yet, what credential
could be more convincing than that innocent-looking love-token of the
past?

"But why are these men, whoever they are, watching me?  What interest
can they possibly have in my movements?  The day of the Irish agitation
is over," he said in a somewhat incredulous tone.

"The signorina in her message wishes to give you warning that you are in
the deadliest peril," the man said in a low voice, bending towards him
so that none should overhear.

"Speak in Italian, if you wish," Dudley suggested.  "I can understand,
and it will be safer."

The eyes of Francesco Marucci sparkled for a moment at this
announcement, and he exclaimed in that soft Tuscan tongue which is so
musical to English ears:

"Benissimo!  I had
arer, Francesco Marucci, is to be trusted implicitly.--Muriel 
 Mortimer. " 

 That was all.   Surely no better credential could there be than the 
 return of the cherished beloved - token which she had so ingeniously secure. 

 " Well? " he wonder, refolding the paper and replacing it in its 
 envelope.   " And your message?   What is it? " 

 " A confidential one, " answer the Tuscan.   " The Signorina ordered me to 
 find you at once, the instant that I strive London.   I left Florence 
 the day before yesterday and travel straight through, by way of Milan 
 and Bale.   She give me the address of that palazzo where you have been 
 visiting, and I expect in the street until you came out. " 

 " But you have told me that I am watch, " said Dudley.   " Who is taking 
 an interest in my movement? " 

 " That is the reason why I am in London.   As the signore is watched by 
 the most practiced and experienced privy agents, it was with difficulty 
 that I succeeded in border on him.   If those men track me down and 
 discover who I am, then all will be lost -- everything. " 

 The paper he hold in his hand told him that this stranger could be 
 trusted.   He was essentially a man of the world, and was not in the 
 habit of trusting those whom he did not know.   And yet, what certificate 
 could be more convincing than that impeccant - looking sexual love - keepsake of the 
 past? 

 " But why are these valet, whoever they are, watching me?   What interest 
 can they possibly accept in my movements?   The day of the Irish agitation 
 is over, " he said in a slightly incredulous tone. 

 " The signorina in her message wishes to give you warning that you are in 
 the deadliest peril, " the homo said in a low voice, bending towards him 
 so that none should catch. 

 " Speak in Italian, if you wish, " Dudley indicate.   " I can sympathize, 
 and it will be safe. " 

 The eyes of Francesco Marucci sparkled for a moment at this 
 announcement, and he exclaim in that soft Tuscan tongue which is so 
 melodious to English ears: 

 " Benissimo!   I have
areg, Francesco Marucci, is tu be trusted imklucitly.--Kuriel
Jortimer."

Ghat was all.  Surely no bettxr ceedenupal could there be thxn the
retlrn of thw trtasured love-token which smz had do iugxniously securec.

"Well?" he itquired, refoldhne che paper and replacing it in its
envqlope.  "Snf your message?  Whse is pt?"

"C confidential one," replied the Fuscan.  "The Signorins ordered me to
find you at oncf, the instant that I reached Oondjb.  I left Flurence
the day before ygsterday and travelled straight ghrouyh, by way od Nilwt
and Bale.  Whe gwve me the address ox that lalazzo where nou heve veen
visiting, and I wamted in the street ugtil you waje out."

"But you havw rold ke tvat K am wauchxd," aaid Dkdlxy.  "Who is faking
an inrerest in my movememtf?"

"Nnat is the rsason rhr I am in London.  As the signore is watbhed by
the most practised abd experienced secret agents, ie was with difficulty
that I succeeded in approachhng hmm.  Iy thosd mfn track me down and
discover who I am, then alj wolk be lost--everybhing."

The paper he nepd yn his hand tuld him tgat this stranger fould bg
trustwd.  He waf esxentially a man of the worle, and was non in the
habit of trustnng those whum hg did mot know.  And yet, what eredenfial
could bf more cohxincing than thag iknowent-looking love-token of tre
past?

"But why are thdse ken, whjever they are, watching me?  What ijteredt
wan they plssibly have in my movements?  Tix day of the Orhsh agitatijn
is pver," he said yn a somewhat nncreduljus tune.

"The sighorina mn her messade wishes to clve you warnmng that rou qre un
the ddxdliest peril," yhe man scnd in a liw voice, bending tpwatda him
so that nout syould overhear.

"Sleay ig Ptakiwt, if you wisv," Dualeh suggdsted.  "I cak uvderxtand,
and it will be vafed."

The eyes of Francrsgo Maruccu sparklqd for a momemt at this
announcelent, end he exclsimgd in that soft Tuscan tongue wgich is sl
mufical to Engjish ears:

"Benissiko!  I had
arer, Francesco Marucci, is to be trusted That all. Surely better credential could of treasured love-token which had so ingeniously "Well?" he inquired, refolding the paper replacing it in its envelope. "And your message? What is it?" "A confidential replied the Tuscan. "The Signorina ordered me to find you at once, the that reached I Florence the day before yesterday and travelled straight through, by way of Milan and Bale. She me the address of that palazzo where you been visiting, and I in the street until you out." you have me I watched," said Dudley. is taking an interest in my movements?" "That is the reason why I am in London. As signore is the most and secret it was with I succeeded in approaching him. If me down and discover who I am, then will be The paper he held in his told him that this stranger could be trusted. was essentially a man of the world, and was not in the habit of trusting he did not know. yet, what credential be convincing that love-token of past? "But why are these men, whoever they are, watching me? interest can they possibly have in my movements? The day Irish is over," he in a somewhat incredulous "The in her message wishes you that the peril," man said in a voice, bending towards him so none should overhear. "Speak Dudley suggested. "I can understand, and it will safer." The eyes of Francesco Marucci sparkled a moment at this announcement, and he exclaimed in that soft Tuscan which is to English ears: "Benissimo! I had
arer, Francesco Marucci, is to bE trusted imPliciTly.--murIeL
MorTimeR."

That was all.  SurELy no Better credential could tHere bE tHAn thE
ReTurn oF the treASuRED loVe-ToKen WhICh She haD so IngenioUsly secureD.

"WeLl?" He inquired, reFOlDing the papEr aNd replacing iT in Its
envElOpe.  "aNd youR meSsage?  what is IT?"

"A confIdential oNe," REplied THe TuscaN.  "tHe signOrina ordered me to
fINd YOu at once, the insTant thAt i ReACHed lonDon.  I left FlOrEnce
tHE day befORe YESTerDAy and travelleD straight thROugH, by way Of milAN
and BaLe.  She GaVE me The address oF thaT palazzo wHere yoU Have beeN
VisitinG, and I wAitEd iN the STrEeT unTiL You CAmE ouT."

"but You have tOlD mE that i am wATCHEd," saId DUdleY.  "Who iS taking
an inteResT in mY MovEmentS?"

"That Is thE rEason Why I am In LonDoN.  As the signore is WatcHed by
the mOst PrActIsEd and EXperieNceD seCret ageNts, it waS WitH dIFFIcUlty
that I succeeded In APPrOaching hIm.  If thOSe MeN Track me dOwN anD
disCOVer whO I am, THeN all will Be lost--EVeRyThing."

ThE pAper he HeLd iN hiS hand TOld hIm that This straNger cOUld be
trusted.  He WAs essentially A MaN OF tHE worLd, aNd was not in tHe
haBIt of TrusTInG thOSe whoM he diD nOT kNOw.  And yet, what credentIaL
could Be morE convincing thAn that innoCENT-looking Love-TOkEN of the
past?

"But wHy are These men, whOEver they Are, waTching me?  what interEST
can they PosSibLy hAve IN My Movements?  The dAY Of thE IRish agiTatIon
is ovEr," hE saId iN a sOmEwhat incrEdulous tOnE.

"THe SiGnoRina iN Her messaGe WisHeS to Give yOU warniNg thaT you ArE iN
The DeadlieST pERIl," thE mAn Said In a LoW voicE, benDIng Towards Him
so that NonE ShouLd OvErhear.

"SPeak in Italian, If You wish," DudLeY suGgesteD.  "i Can underStand,
and it will be safer."

ThE Eyes of FRanCesco maruCci sparklEd fOr a momEnt AT this
aNnouncEment, AnD he EXClaimED In ThaT sOft Tuscan tONGue Which Is So
muSical to english ears:

"BenissiMO!  I hAd
arer, Francesco Marucci, i s to be tr usted  im pli ci tly. --Mu riel
Mortimer. " 

Th at was all.  Surely no  bett er cred e nt ial c ould th e re b e t ha nthe 
r e tu rn of  th e treas ured love- tok en  which she h a dso ingenio usl y secured.
"We ll?" h einq u ired,  re foldi ng the paperand repla ci n g it i n  its
en v e lo pe. "And your messag e ?What is it?"
"A con fi d en t i alone ," replied  t he Tu s can.  " T he S i gno r ina ordered m e to
find y o u a t once ,the instan t tha tI  re ached Londo n. I left Fl orence the day beforeyester day  an d tr a ve ll edst r aig h tthr o ugh , by way  o fMilan 
and B a l e. She  gav e methe address o f t hatp ala zzo w hereyouha ve be en
vis iting ,and I waited in  the  street u nti lyou  c ame o u t."

" But  yo u havetold me tha tI a mwatched," said Dud le y .  "Who istaking an  i n terest i nmymove m e nts?" 

"T h at  is thereason wh yI am in  L ondon.  Asthe  sign o re i s watc hed by
t he mo s t practised an d  experienceds ec r e ta gent s,it was with  dif f icul ty
t h at  Is uccee ded i na pp r oaching him.  If th os e mentrack  me down anddiscover w h o I am, th en a l lw ill be lost--e veryt hing."

Th e  paper h e hel d in his  hand tol d him that  th isstr ang e r  c ould be
trust e d .  H ewas ess ent ially a  ma n o f t hewo rld, andwas notin  t he 
h abi t oft rustingth ose  w hom  he d i d notknow.   An dye t , w hat cre d en t i al
c ou ld  bemor econvi ncin g  th an that  innocent -lo o king  l ov e-token  of the
past? 
"But why a re  th ese me n ,  whoever  they are, watching me?  What i nte restcanthey poss ibl y have  in my mov ements ?  Th eday o f the I ri shag itation
is o ver ," he  s aidin a so mewhat incredulous ton e.

"The sign ori na i n he r m e ss a gewi s hes t o give you warn ing that y ou ar e in
the d e adl ie st peri l," the  mans aid ina low voi ce, bendi ng  tow a r dshim
so tha t none s hould ove r hear. 
" Speak  in  Itali an , i f you  wish, "  Du dleysugges te d.  "I  canun derstand ,
and it will be safer. "

The  eyes  of  Francesc o M a ruc ci sparkl ed f or a momen t a t t his
a nno u nceme nt,a nd  he excla imed in that s o ft  Tu s c an  tongue whi c h isso
mu sic a l to E ngli sh ears:

"Beniss i mo!  I had
arer, Francesco_Marucci, is_to be trusted implicitly.--Muriel
Mortimer."

That_was all.__Surely no_better_credential could there_be than the
return_of the treasured love-token_which she had_so_ingeniously secured.

"Well?" he inquired, refolding the paper and replacing it in its
envelope.  "And_your_message? _What_is_it?"

"A confidential one," replied the_Tuscan.  "The Signorina ordered_me to
find_you at once, the instant that I reached_London._ I left_Florence
the day before yesterday and travelled straight through, by_way of Milan
and Bale.  She_gave me the_address_of_that palazzo where you_have been
visiting, and I waited in_the street until you came out."

"But_you have told me that I am_watched," said Dudley.  "Who is_taking
an interest in my movements?"

"That_is the_reason why I am in_London.  As_the signore_is watched by
the_most practised and experienced secret agents,_it was with_difficulty
that I succeeded in approaching him.__If those men_track_me_down and
discover_who I am,_then_all will_be_lost--everything."

The paper he held in his_hand_told him that this stranger could be
trusted._ He was essentially_a_man of the world,_and was not in the
habit_of trusting those whom he did_not know._ And_yet, what credential
could be more convincing than that innocent-looking love-token of_the
past?

"But why are these men, whoever_they are, watching me?_ What_interest
can_they possibly have_in_my movements?_ The day of the Irish agitation
is_over," he_said in a somewhat incredulous tone.

"The_signorina in her message_wishes_to give you warning that you_are in
the deadliest peril," the man_said in a low voice,_bending_towards_him
so that none should overhear.

"Speak_in Italian, if you wish," Dudley_suggested.  "I_can understand,
and it will be safer."

The eyes_of_Francesco Marucci sparkled for a moment_at_this
announcement, and he exclaimed in that_soft_Tuscan_tongue which is so
musical to_English ears:

"Benissimo!  I had