"Toro."
"Captain."
"Here."
"All safe?"
"Yes."
"Good!"
"What have you learnt, Toro?"
"Not much."
"And you, captain?"
"Nothing, or next to nothing," was the reply.
"And you, Hunston?"
"I have gained knowledge," answered the latter; "good, useful knowledge."
The other two laughed heartily at this reply.
"You were always of a studious turn of mind, Hunston."
"Ha, ha, ha!"
[Ill.u.s.tration: ""WHAT HAVE YOU DISCOVERED?" ASKED THE CAPTAIN"--ADV IN GREECE, VOL II, PAGE 21]
It may be as well to mention that they had sought a secluded part of the contessa"s gardens, and met now by appointment.
They were all three arrayed in that peculiar style of costume which the prince of darkness is popularly supposed to don when he makes his appearance to German students, in certain weird and wild works of fiction, or in the supernatural drama.
It sounded really remarkable to hear these three men, disguised as devils, discussing matters generally in such an offhand manner.
The dresses of all three were alike nearly in every particular.
The only mark of distinction between them was a small straight feather they wore in their caps.
One wore a yellow feather.
Another had a feather of brilliant red.
The third one"s feather was of a bright emerald green.
Now these feathers were small, but yet, by reason of the conspicuous colours, could be seen at a considerable distance.
"What is it you have discovered?" asked the captain.
"Out with it, Hunston," said Toro, in his old impatient way.
"Well, in the first place," was Hunston"s reply, "our letters to old Mole and to the girl Marietta were perfectly successful."
"Of course."
"The vanity of the one, and the conceit of the other, made it an easy matter."
"It did."
"I saw the interview from a snug place of concealment, and took care to let her know it."
"How?"
"By humming her song which you heard her sing up at the villa."
The latter looked somewhat alarmed at this.
"Was that prudent?"
"Of course she did not see me, only we must get a thorough hold over this girl, so as to have her as an accomplice in the enemy"s camp always."
"Good."
"Now let us get back to the ball-room, and see what is to be picked up there."
Back they went, and arrived in the large ball-room just as a dance was being got up.
The three diabolical companions deemed it prudent now to separate, that no undue attention might be drawn upon their movements.
And they went sauntering about the rooms, each upon the look-out for any slice of luck which might turn up.
Hunston had added a long red cloak to his costume, so as to envelope his figure and cover his arm, for fear of accidentally running across Harkaway or Harvey, or in fact, any of the party.
In this cloak he was wrapped, and silently watching two young and lovely girls, whose grace and elegance were commanding universal admiration,
One was fair as a lily, with light, golden, wavy hair, and full blue eyes.
This beautiful girl it was who excited Hunston"s curiosity
"Who can she be? Perhaps Harvey"s daughter," he thought
Now these two were equally lovely to gaze upon, the beauty of each being of a totally different character.
"If we can but spirit little Emily away to the mountains," said Hunston to himself, "I shall be able to repay them for all I have suffered.
Nay, more, I shall be able to satisfy the greed of Mathias and the band, by making the accursed Harkaway disgorge some of his enormous wealth."
A hand was placed upon his shoulder.