This must be prevented at any cost, so I stopped him.
“I wish to speak to you.”
“They told me you had gone to the station.”
This was all right, for it showed he was following me. “Our interview ended hastily this morning because I thought you doubted my word and I was angry. I see now that you were doing your duty. Come back with me to the inn, and let us talk things over.”
“You can say what you have to say here,” he answered. He was a surly dog: but I dared not let him pass me.
“Scarcely that; because I can adopt your suggestion and prove to you, by letters and so forth, that I am what I told you; an Englishman and not a spy.”
“Why do you change like this?” His suspicious tone again.
“The reason is simple. I have decided to leave here to-morrow probably, and don’t wish to be bothered by your spies meanwhile. It is simpler to convince you with proofs.” I linked my arm in his. “Come along, we must understand one another better. I am not the suspicious individual you think and you are no doubt a better fellow than I deemed.”
He was a little beast, only fit to be kicked; but I thought of the girl and smothered my natural inclinations.
By the time we reached my rooms I had worked some of his suspicions loose; and when I laid before him letters from my sister and friends at home, and showed him such things as my cheque book, letter of credit, and so on, he was sufficiently satisfied to have a bottle of wine with me.