"It's not up to me to say anything," coolly retorted Evan.
There were several chuckles in the room. Their laughter was hateful to Evan. He gathered from the sounds that the room was of considerable size. Evidently this house was a more pretentious building than he had supposed. The voices echoed as they do in a bare room.
"You are in the presence of the Ikunahkatsi," the voice went on, "that is to say of some of them. We're not at all ill-disposed towards you personally. On the contrary we admire the pluck you've shown. It's been some fun to get the best of you. Confess, we fooled you neatly in the library that day."
Evan thought: "This is the humorous guy that writes the letters." Aloud he said: "Say your say and have done with it."
The voice resumed: "As I say, it's been a good game. We'd be willing to go on indefinitely matching our wits against yours, but the dice are loaded against us, you see. We're outside the law. With that advantage on your side you'd be bound to get us in the end."
"It's not all fun with us, you see. We have a serious purpose in view. You are in the way of that purpose and so, regretfully, we've got to remove you. You're much too good a lad to be in the pay of an old rascal like Deaves. You ought to be on our side, with the free spirits. But there you are. I know you wouldn't switch now."
"To a gang of blackmailers? No thank you," said Evan.
"It would be just as well for you to speak civilly," the voice warned him mildly. "All the gentlemen present are not as patient as I am."
"What do you want of me?" demanded Evan. "Say it."
"You are absolutely in our power here, yet we are willing to release you on a certain condition."