"It was very neatly done," put in the female inspector, whose name was Forbes. "The woman had ample time during the voyage to quilt thousands of dollars' worth of laces between the lining and the outside. It is evidently an old game successfully played before this."
Then she stepped to one side to make room for a second inspector who entered from the rear accompanied by Mrs. Markle herself, unbending and majestic.
"I s'all complain of zis outra—a—ge! You s'all be arrest, bêtes, animals—all!" announced Mrs. Markle in a shrill, high-pitched voice. "Zere was nossing dutiable in my luggage—I was alright aussi—n'est-ce pas?"
The woman inspector shrugged her shoulders. "I found nothing," she agreed. "But—" She glanced expressively at Jane who had fixed her clear hazel eyes reproachfully upon Mrs. Markle.
"Is this the person in whose employ you crossed from England?" demanded the presiding official of Jane.
"Yes, sir, this is Mrs. Markle," replied Jane politely.
"Lies!—all lies!" snapped the stout woman. "Nevaire before have I seen zis young woman. My name is Madame Melbrun. I dema-a-nd my release immediatement. Zis adventuress is a stra-a-nger to moi; I have nossing to do wiz her."
Jane's eyes opened wide with shocked surprise. "Oh!" she cried. "How can you say that?"
Mrs. Markle had folded her fat hands across her capacious form with an air of haughty innocence. She did not once look at Jane. "I have no articles dutiable," she repeated. "I am first-class passenger—name Madame Melbrun—you find it so on ze passenger list. I dem-a-and my r-r-rights!"
"Let her go," ordered the presiding official, shrugging his shoulders, "she's got us; but then we've got her, too."