“Nothing. And you?”
“Nothing. Until certain gentlemen who honoured me with their company last night left me this morning, I had supposed the execution had taken place.”
Drexel replied in the same masked language. “You must have been surprised.”
The prince nodded. “I have no idea who this Captain Laroque is,” he went on, with a calm look into Drexel’s face; “and I have no wish to know, for it would be my official duty to hang him. But if by any strange twist of circumstances you should ever meet him, please inform him that he is the boldest man I ever heard of.”
“Should there be such a strange twist, I will,” said Drexel.
“Doubtless he is already on his way out of Russia,” the prince went on. “For he undoubtedly knows that of all concerned in last night’s affair he is the one most wanted by the Government—that a vast reward is being offered for his arrest, and that thousands of men are already searching for him.”
“Indeed!” ejaculated Drexel.
“But I dare say he will make good his escape. Should he by chance have any relatives of importance—bereaved relatives—in whose company he could go, he would be certain to escape suspicion.” He bowed. “I wish you good-morning, Mr. Drexel.”
He started away. But with a quick motion Drexel caught his arm, for through the doorway had just entered Captain Nadson and Colonel Kavelin.
“Prince,” he whispered, “see those two men who have just entered. I prefer not to meet them.”