Part 40 (2/2)
As she evinced no inclination to stir he pa.s.sed one arm around her and lifted her along a few feet; and she turned on him, struggling, her face convulsed with fury.
”Keep your insolent hands off me,” she said. ”Do you hear?”
”Oh, yes, I hear.” He nodded again toward the door. ”Come,” he repeated impatiently; ”move on!”
She hesitated; he picked up the olive-wood box, extinguished the lamp, opened his flash, and motioned with his head, significantly. She walked ahead of him, face lowered.
Outside he closed and locked the door of the house.
”This way,” he said coldly. ”If you refuse, I'll pick you up and carry you under my arm. I think by this time you realise I can do it, too.”
Halfway across the dark pasture she stopped short in her tracks.
”Have I _got_ to carry you?” he demanded sharply.
”Don't have me locked up.”
”Why not?”
”I'm not a--a thief.”
”Oh! Excuse me. What are you?”
”You know. Don't humiliate me.”
”Answer my question! What are you if you're not a lady crook?”
”I'm employed--as _you_ are! Play the game fairly.” She halted in the dark pasture, but he motioned her to go forward.
”If you don't keep on walking,” he said, ”I'll pick you up as I would a pet cat and carry you. Now, then, once more, who are you working for? By whom are you employed, if you're not a plain thief?”
”The--Turkish Emba.s.sy.”
”What!”
”You knew it,” she said in a low voice, walking through the darkness beside him.
”What is your name?” he insisted.
”Dumont.”
”What else?”
”Ilse Dumont.”
”That's French.”
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