Only be diligent, watch closely, and keep us fully informed.
We shall trust very greatly to you."
"Your trust shall not be misplaced.
When I take an employer's pay I serve him faithfully and to the best of my power," he said with an engaging frankness that won me completely.
Lord! Lord! what liars men are and what fools!
I might have guessed how much reliance was to be placed upon a man who, to my certain knowledge, was serving two masters.
Why should he be more faithful to my lord than to the Colonel?
CHAPTER XXII.
The rest of the first day at Aix passed without any important incident.
I was a trifle surprised that the Colonel did not put in an appearance; but it was explained by l'Echelle, whom I met by appointment later in the day.
I understood from him that the Colonel had decided to remain down in the town, where he had many friends, and where he was more in the thick of the fun.
For Aix-les-Bains, as every one knows, is a lively little place in the season, and the heart and centre of it all is the Casino.
The Colonel had established himself in a hotel almost next door, and ran up against me continually that afternoon and evening, as I wandered about now under the trees listening to the band, now at the baccarat table, where I occasionally staked a few jetons of the smaller values.
He never failed to meet my eye when it rested on him; he seemed to know intuitively when I watched him, and he always looked back and laughed.
If any one was with him, as was generally the case—smart ladies and men of his own stamp, with all of whom he seemed on very familiar terms—he invariably drew their attention to me, and they, too, laughed aloud after a prolonged stare.
It was a little embarrassing; he had so evidently disclosed my business, in scornful terms no doubt, and held me up to ridicule, describing in his own way and much to my discredit all that had happened between us.
Once he had the effrontery to accost me as I stood facing the green board on which the telegrams are exposed.
"Where have we met?" he began, with a mocking laugh.
"I seem to know your face.
Ah, of course, my old friend Falfani, the private detective who appeared in the Blackadder case.
And I think I have come across you more recently."
"I beg you will not address yourself to me.
I don't know you, I don't wish to know you," I replied, with all the dignity I could assume. "I decline to hold any conversation with you," and I moved away.
But several of his rowdy friends closed around me and held me there, compelled to listen to his gibes as he rattled on.
"How is his lordship?
Well, I hope. None the worse for that little contretemps this morning.
May I ask you to convey to him my deep regrets for what occurred, and my sincere wishes for his recovery?
If there is anything I can do for his lordship, any information I can give him, he knows, I trust, that he can command me.
Does he propose to make a lengthened stay here?"
"His lordship—" I tried vainly to interrupt him.
"Let me urge him most strongly to go through the course.
The warm baths are truly delightful and most efficacious in calming the temper and restoring the nerve-power.
He should take the Aix treatment, he should indeed.
I am doing so, tell him; it may encourage him."
"Colonel, this is quite insufferable," I cried, goaded almost to madness. "I shall stand no more of it.
Leave me in peace, I'll have no more truck with you."
"And yet it would be wiser.
I am the only person who can be of any use to you.
You will have to come to me yet. Better make friends."
"We can do without you, thank you," I said stiffly. "His lordship would not be beholden to you, I feel sure.
He can choose his own agents."
"And in his own sneaking, underhand way," the Colonel answered quickly, and with such a meaning look that I was half-afraid he suspected that we were tampering with his man. "But two can play at that game, as you may find some day."
When I met l'Echelle that same evening as arranged, at the Cafe Amadeo in the Place Carnot, I questioned him closely as to whether his master had any suspicion of him, but he answered me stoutly it was quite impossible.
"He knows I see you, that of course, but he firmly believes it is in his own service.
He is just as anxious to know what you are doing as you are to observe him.
By the way, have you heard anything of your other man?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"Oh, don't trouble; only if I could pass him on a bit of news either way it might lead him to show his hand.
If Tiler is getting 'hot'—you know the old game—he might like to go after him. If Tiler is thrown out the Colonel will want to give help in the other direction."
"That's sound sense, I admit.