Dormund was now close and had heard much of what I said and was looking intently at Althea.
"Heir Bastable, excuse me," he said.
I turned on him quickly and irritably, and then smiled. "Hullo, Herr Dormund. I wondered who the deuce it was, and was within an ace of venting a bit of temper on you for the interruption. My sister has forgotten a trunk of mine, and now I shall miss the train," I gestured toward Althea. She had her profile toward him, and his face showed me that he had no suspicion.
"Ah, your sister," he said; and raised his hat and looked first at her and then to me as if expecting an introduction. "I heard you were leaving Berlin to-day," he continued, when I did not take the hint. "It is indeed annoying."
A scowl and an angry murmur gave him the measure of my temper. "It's a marvel to me that women can make such blunders," I growled.
"Where are you going?"
"London. And now there's no train till the night mail, and I hate night travelling."
"Have you been long in the station?"
"About half an hour or so. It took my sister that time to find out that she had made any mistake at all"; and I shot another wrathful glance at Althea. There was no doubt about my being in a very bad temper over it.
"Then perhaps you can do me a little service. You know Fräulein Korper, I believe? Have you seen her here within the last few minutes?"