“There’s no need to make the affair more unpleasant than necessary by talking in that tone. The whole thing’s a mistake; but I don’t blame you. Why growl at me, therefore?”
“Orders.”
“Well, who ordered this?”
“Hurry.” And he accompanied the word with an emphatic gesture.
“Thank you,” I said with a grin; and as it was evident I should not get anything out of him, I finished dressing in silence. In the meanwhile the two men finished their search of the drawers and wardrobe and my luggage; and we went to my sitting-room.
This had also been ransacked; and the work must have been done before they roused me. “Your men certainly understand their work,” I said; for the search had been very thorough; “but you might have put some of the things back in their places. If you’ll give me a couple of minutes, I’ll do it myself, however.”
“No.” Short, sharp, and peremptory this, from the fellow who had spoken before.
“Then wake my servant—his room is through the kitchen at the end of the hall and up a short flight of stairs.”
“No.” Same tone from the same speaker.
“All right. Then I’ll leave a line here for him to let him know what has happened.”