“If I am, I speak! What then for you and the others? We’re all in one ship.”
“I am not. I knew nothing of the business, and I can prove it to my friend who is looking for you—only for you, mind. The others can take care of themselves. They have deceived me.”
I watched him closely to see if he believed my last statement. I gathered from his look of discouragement that he did. I suppose from his point of view, there was nothing surprising in it.
“If you wish to see Captain Welfare again, you may see him here, in my presence, when he comes. I will let you live till then. I will not answer for Montgomery Effendi.” He showed no surprise at my mention of this name, and I hoped that perhaps he knew no other.
“Have you complaint of me for him? Have I not served you?”
“You served me well on the journey. I shall not forget to say so. But he will be angry when he learns what I know. You will not understand, perhaps, but he will not be just. This is his pistol. If he were here holding it now, you would be dead, Jakoub.”
“I do not fear him or any man.”
“All right. You can go now. I shall not lock my door. But I think you will not try again to take your property. See, there is the daylight.”
I rose and opened the shutters. I had to risk the movement because my forearm ached so with holding the revolver that I knew I could bear it no longer.
The amber light of morning filled the large bare room, revealing the feebleness of the electric lights which before had seemed so brilliant. They glowed now as points of light without power to illuminate anything.