Again, as we sped on, I reasoned favourably from their leaving me as I was, still under lock and key.
No one came near me until after we had passed Olten station, the first stopping-place after Basle, where I could alight and retrace my steps.
By holding on to me I guessed that I was still thought to be the chief danger, and that they had no suspicion of Tiler's existence.
I laughed in my sleeve, but not the less did I rage and storm when Jules l'Echelle came with the Colonel to release me.
"You shall pay for this," I cried hotly. "As for you, l'Echelle, it shall cost you your place, and I'll take the law of you, Colonel Annesley; I'll get damages and you shall answer for your illegal action."
"Pfui!" retorted the Colonel.
"The mischief you can do is nothing to what you might have done. We can stand the racket.
I've bested you for the present—that's the chief thing, anyway.
You can't persecute the poor lady any more."
"Poor lady!
Do you know who she is or was, anyway?"
"Of course I do," he answered bold as brass.
"Did she let on?
Told you, herself?
My word! She's got a nerve.
I wonder she'd own to it after all she's done."
"Silence!" he shouted, in a great taking. "If you dare to utter a single word against that lady, I'll break every bone in your body."
"I'm saying nothing—it's not me, it's all the world.
It was in the papers, you must have read them, the most awful story, such—such depravity there never was—such treachery, such gross misconduct."
He caught me by the arm so violently and looked so fierce that for a moment I was quite alarmed.
"Drop it, I tell you.
Leave the lady alone, both by word and deed.
You'll never find her again, I've seen to that.
She has escaped you."
"Aha! You think so?
Don't be too cocksure.
We understand our business better than that, we don't go into it single-handed.
You've collared me for a bit, but I'm not the only one in the show."
"The only one that counts," he said sneering.
"Am I?" I answered in the same tone. "What if I had a pal waiting for me at Basle, who received my instructions there—just when you thought you had me safe—and has now taken up the running?"
He was perfectly staggered at this, I could see plainly.
I thought at first he would have struck me, he was so much upset.
"You infernal villain," he shouted, "I believe the whole thing is a confounded lie!
Explain."
"I owe you no explanations," I replied stiffly, "my duty is to my employers. I only account to them for my conduct.
I am a confidential agent."
He seemed impressed by this, for when he spoke again it was more quietly.
But he looked me very straight in the eyes. I felt that he was still likely to give trouble.
"Well, I suppose I cannot expect you to tell me things.
You must go your own way and I shall go mine."
"I should advise you to leave it, Colonel," I said, civilly enough. "I'm always anxious to conciliate and avoid unpleasantness. Give up the whole business; you will only burn your fingers."
"Ah! How so?"
"The law is altogether against you.
It is a nasty job; better not be mixed up in it.
Have you any idea what that woman—that lady," I corrected myself, for his eyes flashed, "has done?"
"Nothing really wrong," he was warming up into a new burst of passion.
"Tell that to the Courts and to the Judge when you are prosecuted for contempt and charged as an accessory after the fact.
How will you like that?
It will take the starch out of you."
"Rot!