"Curse him, the cunning devil; but wait, my fine fellow, you can't have
gone far. I wonder if he searched the drawer----"
Cautiously I peeped out; his back was turned, so, carefully keeping him
covered with my revolver, I wriggled from beneath the bed, and stood up.
I had not made enough noise to disturb him, and when I asked him quietly
to raise his hands above his head he spun round like a flash.
"My God!" he cried.
"No, only your King. Quick, up with them!"
I have never seen a man more surprised; but he recovered very quickly
and held his hands up. In one of them was a package of papers. His
face had gone white, and his eyes glistened.
"Baron Goltz, you are a very dirty traitor, and as such I am going to
shoot you. Have you anything to say?"
I had made up my mind, as he raised his hands, that it was in the
interests of Rudarlia that he should die. The knowledge he had gained
was of too great importance; and I alone could not hope to keep him
prisoner.
"It will be murder, and useless," he said.
"Hardly, but I will risk it, you are too big a scoundrel to go free from
here."
"It will be useless," he repeated, "as I have sent to a friend the
information you are afraid of my repeating."
This staggered me, I confess, but I thought of the paper in my pocket.
"What information?"
"I sent a list of your mines and artillery, within the hour, to a man in
Bornia. I alone can stop them being sent to the King; you have the
upper hand of me here, so I will bargain if you like."
"There is and can be no question of bargaining with a traitor like
yourself; besides, you never sent the list."
"I sent it when I left you here."
"You sent no list, you forgot to enclose it, it is now in my pocket."
"You lie!" he cried, but I saw an anxious look creep into his eyes.
"I do not lie, look for yourself."
I pulled the paper out and opened it with one hand, taking good care to
keep him covered.
He snarled like a wild beast and flung himself upon me.