"It is not at all necessary."
"There is, however, one thing that I must confess puzzles me very much," continued the envoy.
"May I, without offence, ask what that is?"
"No offence. I should certainly be only too glad to have an explanation with you on the subject."
"If it depends upon me," the other said.
"It depends absolutely on you. I always thought I had a good memory. I believe myself to be a very good physiognomist, but really I have no recollection of you."
The outlaw burst into a roar of laughter.
"Which only proves," he added, when he recovered himself, "that I am much more clever at incognito than you."
"Which means—"
"That not only have we met, monsieur, but that we have carried on a long connection," said Tom.