"Novella Citta and Olmo. They're farther than Soldo, and they got dukos or something too. That's one reason."

I nodded to show I understood. "What do they stand to gain if Duko Rigoglio wins?"

"He leaves them alone, maybe. I think they're afraid of him." Inclito pointed with the whip. "You see that hill?"

The night was clear and Green shown bright overhead; there is always something ghostly about an open, rolling landscape by Greenlight, and I believe I have never been more conscious of it than I was last night.

"We can see my place from there. We're going to pull up there awhile and you can look at it."

"Is that the only purpose? To look at your house?"

"I guess I got to tell you." He cracked his whip again, urging the horses to a faster trot, then dropped it across his lap and slapped his forehead. "I'm a fool."

I said, "I have manifold reasons to doubt it."

"A fool thinking I got to tell what you already know. I'm afraid I got a spy in my house. Yes, I am."

"Your coachman?"

Inclito shook his head. "He's a stupid one, so I don't think so." He shrugged and cracked his whip again over the sweating horses. "Maybe he's stupid enough to take the Duko's cards, huh?"

"Maybe he is. Since I'm going to have dinner with you and your family-thank you again for your invitation-it might be well for you to tell me who's in your house and whom you suspect."

"All right." We had reached the top of the hill, and Inclito reined up. "In a minute I'm going to let them walk. It's better for them to walk a little when they're hot like this, not just stand around."

I nodded.