What he expected to find in my bag I could not imagine. If his mission was robbery pure and simple, why had he not selected some one who looked richer than myself? There was, I am certain, nothing about me to make him believe I had anything of great value in the bag.
"What are you doing with my valise?" I demanded as I straightened up.
My sudden question made the man almost jump to his feet. The bag dropped from his lap to the floor, and the keys in his hand jingled after it.
"I—I—didn't think you were awake," he stammered.
"You didn't?" I repeated, puzzled as to what to say.
"No—I—I&—"
"You were trying to open my bag."
"So I was—but it's all a mistake, I assure you."
"A mistake?"
"Quite a mistake, Strong." He cleared his throat. "The fact is, I'm suffering so from the toothache that I'm hardly able to judge of what I'm doing. I thought your bag was my own."