So you see
there wasn't so much lost, after all."
"But, at any rate," I pointed out, "he would still have been in
America. He couldn't have caught us. We'd have had a good start of
him."
"He couldn't have caught you, but a cablegram would have passed you in
mid-ocean, warning his confederates. If they have time to conceal
their prisoner, you'll never find her--your only hope is in catching
them unprepared. And there's another reason--since he's on the boat,
you've another opportunity--why not go and have a talk with him--that
battle of wits you were looking forward to?"
"I'd thought of that," I said; "but I'm afraid I couldn't play the
part."
"The part?"
"Of seeming not to suspect him, of being quite frank and open with
him, of appearing to tell him all my plans. I'm afraid he'd see
through me in the first moment and catch me tripping. It's too great a
risk."
"The advantage would be on your side," she pointed out; "you could
tell him so many things which he already knows, and which he has no
reason to suspect you know he knows--it sounds terribly involved,
doesn't it? But you understand?"
"Oh, yes; I understand."
"And then, it would be the natural thing for you to look him up as
soon as you learned he was ill. To avoid him will be to confess that
you suspect him.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160