“I shall ride a few miles with you,” I told the leader.
“You do not trust me?” he said angrily.
“In my country we see to things for ourselves; that’s all. Ivan,” I called, “if I do not return in an hour, you will understand there is trouble. You will know what to do.”
“Yes, monsieur.”
“You try my temper,” said the leader.
“Merely a business precaution,” I replied lightly, and went out with him to the stables.
“I do not like your business precautions,” he said. “You carry them too far.”
“The fact is I wish to speak to you, and what I have to say cannot be said in the hearing of others. I can say it as we ride together.”
I had some very pertinent questions to put to him, indeed, and when he had found his horse and the groom and I had mounted, I told the latter to fall back.
“Now,” I said, as we all started, “I want to know what is to be the result of this night’s work, so far as I am concerned.”