"I'm going out for an hour--just for a stroll. I may be longer. If I'm
not back all night, don't be anxious. I may be detained."
"Where are you going?" she asked quickly.
"That is my affair," was his abrupt reply. Her face assumed a strange
expression. Then she passed along the room, he following.
As soon as they had gone my mind was made up. I scented mystery. I
ascended in the lift to my room, got my coat, and, going outside into
the ill-lit road beyond the zone of the electric lights in front of
the hotel, I waited.
The man was not long in coming. He wore a golf-cap and a thick
overcoat, and carried a stout stick. On the steps of the hotel he
paused, lit his cigar, and then set off to the left, down the
principal street--the highroad which led to the clean little town of
Salo and the southern end of the lake.
I lounged along after him at a respectable distance, all curiosity at
the reason why, in that rural retreat, he intended to be absent all
night.
He went along at a swinging pace, passing around the lake-front of the
town which almost adjoins Gardone, and then began to ascend the steep
hill beyond. Upon the still night air I could scent the aroma of his
cigar. He was now on his way out into a wild and rather desolate
country, high above the lake. But after walking about a mile he came
to a point where the roads branched, one to Verona, the other to
Brescia.
There he halted, and, seating himself upon a big stone at the wayside,
smoked in patience, and waited. I advanced as near as I could without
risk of detection, and watched.
He struck a match in order to look at his watch. Then he rose and
listened intently. The night was dark and silent, with heavy clouds
hanging about the mountains, threatening rain.
I suppose he had waited fully another quarter of an hour, when
suddenly, far away over the brow of the hill in the direction of
Brescia, I saw a peculiar light in the sky. At first I was puzzled,
but as it gradually grew larger and whiter I knew that it came from
the head-lights of an approaching motor-car. Next moment the hum of
the engine fell on my ears, and suddenly the whole roadway became
illuminated, so suddenly, indeed, that I had only just time to crouch
down in order to avoid detection.
Pennington shouted to the driver, and he instantly pulled up. Then two
men in thick overcoats descended, and welcomed him warmly in English.
"Come along, old man!" I heard one of them cry. "Come inside. We must
be off again, for we haven't a moment to spare. How's the girl?"
Then they entered the car, which was quickly turned, and a few moments
later disappeared swiftly along the road it had come.