"To what am I indebted for this—"
The door closed behind him, and we looked at each other, startled, uneasy. Nobody said anything. We were all thinking of the conversation going on in the corridor.
The tense silence lasted for perhaps five minutes. Then the door was reopened, and Hugh entered.
"Hilyer wants to talk terms," he announced. "In the circumstances, I didn't feel that we could afford to overlook any chance, and I have arranged that four of us will meet four of his crowd at Hilmi's house at three this afternoon."
"I don't trust the dog," I said immediately. "Why go to Hilmi's house? Why couldn't he talk here?"
"He said the only way he could prove that he has a certain trick up his sleeve would be for us to go there. He also pointed out that we need have no fear of treachery, as we only needed to leave word behind us where we were going."
"Why parties of four?" asked Nikka.
"Obviously, we couldn't take Betty," answered Hugh, "and one of us ought to stay with her."
"If Toutou is there I shall kill him on sight," warned Nikka.
"I told Hilyer we drew the line at that beast. Besides Hilyer and Hilmi, there will be only Hélène de Cespedes and Serge Vassilievich."