"It was not through any capacity for seeing through brick walls," said Hora drily. "But merely a deduction from what Flurscheim himself did not tell me. He was very proud of a system of alarm designed by himself for the protection of his treasures. He told me that it was impossible for a window sash to be lifted or an outer door to be unlatched without setting off the alarm—I observed from outside that the attics were fitted with swing casements and I drew my own conclusions."
"You omitted to inform me that the servants slept in those attics," remarked Guy. "I nearly stepped on the bed of one of them when I entered the window."
"So that is why you left by the front door, was it?" enquired Hora. "It was a little bit risky, wasn't it?"
"No," said the young man. "I calculated that I should get a minute's start, and thirty seconds was quite enough. As a matter of fact, I had a clear minute. I looked out into the street from a window and saw that the coast was clear and the brougham was waiting. There were two or three parties just leaving Lady Greyston's and I calculated upon being able to join them without exciting observation. The street was very much in shadow, and just between lights, after a dance, you know, no one observes very clearly."
"Still it was a risk," observed Hora. "I should have returned by the way I had gone."
"I still think I took the lesser evil," replied Guy. "Besides the chance of finding Flurscheim's servants awake, there was the possibility of being seen from the street as I passed along the parapet back to the window of the Greyston's house. Then suppose I had met someone on the stairs at the Greyston's. The function was practically over. There was every likelihood that some of the servants would be going to their quarters—it would have been deuced unpleasant to have had to explain what I was doing there."
"At all events," remarked Hora, "you ought to have cut off the alarm. Did you forget how to do it?"
A smile flickered across the young man's face.
"No," he said, "I left it in position on purpose. I thought I should like to give Flurscheim a sporting chance of getting his own back. There were just two flights of stairs and a bedroom door between us. I thought that if that were not sufficient to enable me to get away I should deserve to be captured."
Myra, who had been listening to the conversation in silence, half uttered an exclamation. But she checked it so that only Hora's keen ears heard. He smiled, but said nothing. Guy continued lazily: "You see that I did not misjudge the conditions. I am here." Then he repeated the words he had used a few hours previously. "You must set me a more difficult task next time, Commandatore."