The whole story therefore depended upon her more or less accurate judgment of time.

It might have been a quarter of an hour instead of five minutes, in which case Corbario had not yet left the cottage, and Marcello would have had ample leisure to disappear in any direction he pleased.

Ercole had been away at Porto d'Anzio, the men had been all at the hut; if Folco had not been on the path precisely at the time guessed by Aurora, everything could be accounted for.
"Very well," Corbario answered.

"Let us suppose that my stepson had time to get away.

In that case he can be found, alive or dead.