There was only one point in which he had failed. He had not secured the precious papers; and I had to consider what he was likely to do in consequence.
I came to the conclusion that under the circumstances although he might possibly see Helga to question her, he was not likely to see Siegel. In my last interview he had threatened to have me charged with Vastic’s murder, and I had left him to do it; and this was no doubt the charge which Siegel would find himself called upon to face. He would have no difficulty whatever in meeting it, of course, the moment he chose to open his lips; but as he wished to learn at first hand the secrets of the Russian prison, he would not speak for a while.
I should thus have time to operate, and my course was fairly clear. I had to get to the Emperor himself with my story before Kalkov had any suspicion that I was not safely under lock and key. If he knew I was still at liberty he would put insuperable difficulties in my way, as he had before.
I left the cars at Insterburg accordingly and caught the limited back to the capital. The journey was without incident. I was recognized at Kovna; but no questions save those prompted by curiosity were asked me.
My friend the police agent had spoken about me to one or two of the officials, and what he had said had apparently been very much in my favour. The elderly man whom I had seen lead Siegel away at the moment when he seemed about to show fight, was particularly gracious to me; and after a general query or so, he asked—
“Was the American whom we arrested here a friend of yours, monsieur?”
“Of course, in a sense all Americans are friends,” I replied evasively.
“Do you know his name?”
“There are some sixty millions of us Americans;” and I laughed. “Are you sure he was an American?” I preferred to do the questioning.
“He would say nothing, not even his name.”