"We can do it safely now," he said to his companion, adding to me, very nervously: "I am not--not lying. We have saved his life."
"Quick," I said sternly. "As for your not lying, I have been concealed in the warehouse there long enough to hear what has passed."
"Then you know what has become of our friend?" he asked as the other began to set the Baron free.
"He has gone off in a boat."
"But that noise--that pistol shot--was it a shot? It may bring the police here to us."
"I should think it's very likely. You'll be able to tell them how you saved this old man's life," I replied drily. "Not that there seems to be much life left in him," I added as the Baron was brought up to the table and the light of the lamp fell on his bloodless features. It was like the face of the dead.
He was unconscious and I laid him full length on the table and set to work rubbing his hands and chafing his limbs to restore the circulation. While doing this I found the bomb in his pocket and transferred it to mine.
"If he is dead you will answer for it," I said, hot with rage against them. I could detect no pulse and my efforts to restore him appeared to have no effect.
"We have not harmed him, I swear that," declared the elder man.
"Well then, you'd better do your best to restore him."