“Then we are very fortunate,” Reist said, “for it is such a man as this whom we wanted.”
CHAPTER IX
“Monsieur will pardon me!”
Ughtred glanced up, startled. For an hour or more he had been watching with fascinated eyes the great rolling pine forests through which the train was rushing. Brand and Reist were in the restaurant-car—Ughtred was rapidly becoming too excited to eat. They had entered upon the last stage of their journey. Somewhere away beyond that dim line of mountains was Theos. So far they had been neither accosted nor watched. This was the first stranger who had addressed a word to either of them.
“You wished for a seat here?” Ughtred asked.
The priest, who had come through from the dining-car, held between his fingers an unlit cigar. His fat, good-humoured face was a little flushed. He had the appearance of a man who has found his dinner a satisfactory meal.
“It is your coupé, I understand, monsieur,” he answered, “but the smoking-car is full. I wondered if monsieur would permit me to occupy his friend’s seat until he returns. One misses a smoke so much.”
He looked longingly at the cigar. Ughtred rose and cleared off the rugs and papers which were spread over the vacant seats.