“And I am impatient to follow up the chase,” said the doctor, who in his eagerness walked up and down the room with a fretful anxiety.
“Remember,” said Alfred, “that however satisfied we ourselves may be on every point of these people's culpability, we have no authority to arrest them, or bring them to justice. We can set the law in motion, but not usurp its action.”
“And are they to be let go free?” asked Quackinboss. “Is it when we have run 'em to earth we 're to call off the dogs and go home?”
“He's right, though, Colonel,” said Winthrop. “Down in our country, mayhap, we 'd find half a dozen gentlemen who'd make Mr. Trover's trial a very speedy affair; but here we must follow other fashions.”
“Our detective friend says that he'll not leave them till you have received authority from home to demand their extradition,” said the doctor. “I take it for granted forgery is an offence in every land in Europe, and, at all events, no State can have any interest in wishing to screen them.”
While they thus talked, Alfred Layton rang the bell, and inquired if Mr. Trover had returned.
The waiter said, “No.”
“Why do you ask?” said the doctor. “It just occurred to me that he might have seen us as we drove up. He knows the Colonel and myself well.”
“And you suspect that he is off, Alfred?”
“It is not so very unlikely.”