Rex Beach was an American novelist and playwright whose most famous works during the early 20th century consisted of Westerns, many of which are still widely read today.This story opens in Sicily where a young American named Norvin Blake had gone to attend the wedding of his friend Martel Savigno. The two men had met in Paris and had become such warm friends that Blake had taken this long journey in order to be Martel’s best man. Upon meeting his friend’s fiancée, Countess Margherita Ginini, Blake is impressed by her great beauty and charm, and a feeling is aroused within him which no other woman had ever evoked. As the days go by he finds himself deeply in love with his friend’s fiancée, but endeavors to smother his traitorous feelings. On the eve of the wedding while Blake, Martel, and his steward are returning home, they are attacked in a lonely place by members of the Mafia Society, whom Martel has offended, and he and his steward are killed. Blake escapes, but blames himself for cowardice in not having been able to help his friend. The Countess Margherita is heartbroken at the loss of her lover and declares that she will find the murderers and avenge Martel’s death. Blake is recalled to America by the illness and death of his mother and when he returns to Sicily eight months later, finds Margherita gone, having left no clue to her whereabouts. Blake starts an unsuccessful search, but finding she has sailed for America he returns to his own country. After four years of un...