“It is only a short distance across the Square there.”
It was now quite clear my scheme had gone wrong. Either Volna had been prevented from coming to meet me; or, having come had been scared away by the mob, or had given me up. If she had returned home, she was already in Bremenhof’s power; and the sooner I knew of it the better. On the other hand, if she was not there, and he or his men were, I could confront him with the proof of his double dealing.
“I don’t see why we shouldn’t adopt the suggestion,” I said, indifferently. “If Colonel Bremenhof has ordered me to be shadowed, I may as well know why. We’ll go there.”
“This way then,” he replied, adding after a pause, “I trust you won’t misunderstand my position, Mr. Anstruther.”
“Why are you so anxious about it?”
“You have been so badly treated by the Department, for one thing; and of course, as a fellow member of the Fraternity, I am bound to help you all I can. But you don’t seem to trust me.”
“How did you know Colonel Bremenhof was at this address, the Place of St. John?”
“He sent me word this morning.” He told the lie very plausibly and without the slightest hesitation.
“You know his affairs pretty closely—what do you suppose he is doing there?”
“I should know well enough but, you see, I haven’t been either at headquarters or at his house since last night, when I left to see you at the Hotel Vladimir.”