"I may as well tell you," he said, "that you have never been left unwatched since you left Bath."
"You seem to know my movements pretty well yourself," I said, in an astonished tone.
"Pretty well," he answered, with another smile.
I had no sooner drawn the packet from my pocket than he snatched it unceremoniously from my hands and walked with it towards the window.
"Don't move," he cried to me, "until I tell you or I shall fire. I must verify the contents before I leave you."
He still held the pistol in my direction and I have no doubt would have fired had I made the slightest move towards him, which I could not have done without making some noise, for about six paces divided us.
I stood still and regarded him as he tore off the covering with his teeth.
He was so thoroughly engrossed with the task that he did not hear a slight rustling sound which caused me to turn my head towards the door which led to the long range of what appeared to be glass houses, and which was just open a little. What I saw there made me turn cold from head to foot.
Gliding through the slightly open door, and pushing it farther open as it came with its immense bulk, was a huge black and yellow snake!
It was moving in the direction of the robber, who, entirely engrossed with the packet from which he had torn the wrapper, was totally oblivious of his position. The snake had possibly been attracted by the tearing noise which he had made as he rent the linen envelope with his teeth.