But the man understood, rattled off a rapid sentence and disappeared.
"It is dat dey have gone into anoder carriage," she translated. "You see. It will be impossible to find dem."
"No," he muttered, but he knew that the delay had cost him his opportunity.
"You mus' not leave me, mon petit," Piquette pleaded at his ear. "I 'ave fear of him. 'E 'as seen us together. Now 'e knows that it is I who 'ave tol' about Monsieur le Duc—I who 'ave 'elp you from de house in de Rue Charron—everyt'ing. I 'ave fear——"
Jim laid a hand over hers and patted it reassuringly.
"Don't worry. He can't harm you."
"I am not afraid when you are 'ere,——" she whispered.
And she won her way. It was the least that he could do for her; so he sat again thinking of the look in Moira's eyes and frowning out of the window, wondering how best to meet this situation, while Piquette clung to his arm and patted his hand nervously.
"We should 'ave watch' for 'im, mon Jeem—at de Gare de Lyon. I don' on'erstan'——"
"Nor I—how he got her to come with him," muttered Jim fiercely.