His vision had returned; yet he could see nothing there. For the mysterious shadowy form had flitted from the room immediately after Arlette’s escape.
Prokop snarled as he hid the black garments in the corner. He could not understand what had happened. He decided that the girl had been responsible for the powder flash; that she had come prepared for this emergency.
It was true that he had detected her, apparently listening to the instructions that he had given Agent C; at the same time, it was also true that he had used that fact as a pretext to cover his real designs.
He had attempted to disobey the orders of the Red Envoy. Prokop decided to say nothing of this occurrence. Hereafter he would ignore the woman, Agent R.
The leader of the Red group left the building, and made his way to the street. He walked to a corner, and turned down a block. There he looked about for a cab. One appeared. Prokop did not know that it had been following him.
He left the cab at an elevated station. He went up the steps on the northbound side, and caught a train a few minutes later.
When that train arrived at the next station, the taxicab awaited it. Prokop did not descend the steps.
The cab sped on, and arrived at the second station just after the train had left. Still Prokop was not there.
Whirling madly onward, disregarding crossings, the cab reached the third station just as the train was leaving. As it pulled up to the steps, Prokop descended.
“Cab, sir?” called the driver.