He opened the little grip he carried.
Meanwhile, Chester had carried Hal's message to Gladys. The latter had repeated it to her mother, and these two now shadowed General Rentzel every place he moved, for they were fearful that he might decide at any moment to leave the house. Chester kept his eyes on all three.
Chester was plainly nervous. Had he been in the danger himself his nerves would have been as hard as steel, but the inaction while someone else was doing the work made him impatient and fanciful.
Finally General Rentzel approached the Swiss minister and paid his adieus. Then he moved toward the cloakroom.
Halfway there he was intercepted by Mrs. Schweiring and Gladys.
"You are not going so soon, your excellency?" questioned Mrs.
Schweiring.
"I must," was the reply. "I have work to do at my office that will keep me until far into the night."
"I'm sorry," was the reply. "Have you seen my husband?"
"Why, no."
"I understood him to say that he had some business with you; perhaps I was mistaken, however."