While Rowland held the torch, Tanya obeyed quickly and handed the weapon to Rowland, who after examining it and testing it carefully, got quickly to his feet and ordered Khodkine to rise.
"I'm no murderer, Monsieur Khodkine," he said easily, "not in cold blood, at least. And you're quite safe if you remain perfectly still, while Mademoiselle Korasov continues in the task you interrupted."
Khodkine, who had gotten to his feet with an appearance of great difficulty, now stood, quite subdued, still gasping for the breath which Rowland had squeezed out of him.
"Monsieur--" he muttered, his gaze shifting this way and that, "let me speak."
"By all means," said Rowland politely. "If you don't speak too long. We have other business."
"You blame me for--for protecting the Treasury of Nemi. How should I have known that your intentions and Mademoiselle Korasov's were innocent?"
"Merely by our guilelessness, Monsieur Khodkine," grinned Rowland.
Khodkine's smile was sickly.
"You are clever," he said. "I have done you an injustice. But why should we quarrel?"
"We won't. Our quarrel is ended. Is that all you want to say?"