No; the kaiser's agent was not a figure of romance or of
adventure. He was a force as able, as ruthless, as cruel as the land he
served.
"Miss Falconer," he demanded briefly, "where are those papers? I am not
to be played with, I assure you. If you think I am, just recall this
morning, and your chauffeur. We didn't kill him for the pleasure of it;
he had his chance as you have. But when we went for our car he was there
in the garage, sleeping; he seemed to think we had designs on him, and
tried to rouse the inn."
"Do you call that an excuse for a murder?" I exclaimed. "You
cold-blooded villain!"
"I don't make excuses." His voice was hard and arrogant. "I am calling
the matter to your notice as a kind warning, Mr. Bayne. You said a
little while ago that to see a woman gagged and bound distressed you.
Well, unless I have those papers within five minutes, you will see
something worse than that!"
At the moment what I saw was red. There was something beating in my
throat, choking me; I knew neither myself nor the primitive impulses I
felt.
"If you lay a finger on Miss Falconer," I heard myself saying slowly, "I
swear I'll kill you.
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