"You might as well have," Lanyard informed him lightly … "For you won't know otherwise."
With an infuriated oath the German stopped short: but he dared not ignore the readiness with which his tormentor imitated the manoeuvre and kept the pistol trained through the fabric of his raincoat.
"Yes—?" the adventurer enquired with an exasperating accent of surprise.
"Understand me," Ekstrom muttered vindictively: "next time I'll show you no mercy—"
"But if there is no next time? We're not apt to meet again, you know."
"That's something beyond your knowledge—"
"You think so? … But shan't we resume our stroll? People might notice us standing here—you with your teeth bared like an ill-tempered dog…. Oh, thank you!"
And as they moved on, Lanyard continued: "Shall I explain why we're not apt to meet again?"
"If it amuses you."
"Thanks once more! … For the simple reason that Paris satisfies me; so here I stop."