"How long did you stay with that hermit in the desert?" asked Cosmo. "And how did you leave him?" 

 "Signore, it was he who left me. After I had buried his body I had nothing more to do there. I had learned much during that year." 

 "What is it you learned, my friend? I should like to know." 

 "Signore, his wisdom was not like that of other men and it would be too long to explain to you here on this tower and at this late hour of the day. I learned many things. How to be patient, for instance. . . . Don't you think, signore, that your friends or the servants at the inn may become uneasy at your long absence?" 

 "I tell you I haven't been much more than two hours in this town and I have spoken to nobody in it till I came upon you, except of course to the people at the inn." 

 "They may start looking for you." 

 "Why should they trouble their heads? It isn't late yet. Why should they notice my absence?" 

 "Why? . . . Simply because your supper may be ready by this time," retorted the man impatiently. 

 "It may be, but I am not hungry yet," said the young man casually. "Let them search for me all over the town if they like." Then in a tone of interest, "Do you think they would think of looking for me here?" he asked. 

 "No. This is the last spot anybody would think of," muttered the other as if to himself. He raised his voice markedly, "We must part indeed. Good-night, signore." 

 "Good-night." 

 The man in the seaman's jacket stared for a moment, then with a brusque movement cocked his cap with the strange tassel more on the side of his head. "I am not going away from this spot," he said. 

 "I thought you were. Why did you wish me good-night then?" 

 "Because we must part." 

 "I suppose we must some time or other," agreed Cosmo in a friendly voice. "I should like to meet you again." 

 "We must part at once, this moment, on this tower." 

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