She cast a glance at Ralph. He, at any rate, bound hand and foot, could not hamper her plans or take part in the final battle. But Beaumagnan appeared to trouble her; and she went towards the door as if she wished to be the first to meet the person they expected, when, at the very instant at which she was going to it, quick footsteps were heard. She stepped backwards, therefore, with a movement that thrust Beaumagnan aside and cleared the door for the entrance of Leonard. He looked sharply from one to the other of the two men, then drew Josephine aside, and whispered in her ear.
She seemed astounded and murmured: “What do you mean? What on earth do you mean?”
She turned her head that they might not see her expression; but Ralph had an impression that it was one of extreme joy.
“Don’t stir,” she said. “The owner of the casket is here. Out with your revolver, Leonard. Be ready to shoot.”
She turned on Beaumagnan, who was trying to open the door, and cried: “You must be mad! Stay where you are!”
But when he insisted she lost her temper and said: “What do you want to go out for? What are you up to? You must know this person and want to balk us and get away with the casket. Is that your game? Speak up!”
Beaumagnan did not loose the handle of the door. Josephine gripped his arm with her right hand and tried to hold him back. Perceiving that she would not succeed, she turned towards Leonard, and with her left hand pointed to Beaumagnan’s left shoulder with a gesture which bade her henchman strike and strike quietly. In about a second he had drawn a dagger from his pocket and driven it into their enemy’s left shoulder.
Beaumagnan groaned and cried: “The damned jade!” and dropped fainting to the floor.
She said calmly to Leonard: “Help me; and be quick about it.”
The two of them dragged Beaumagnan into the recess. Leonard cut off the end of the rope which was round Ralph’s neck, and the two of them bound together the wounded man’s wrists and ankles. Then she looked at his shoulder and said: “That’s nothing—two or three days in bed and he’ll be all right again. Come on.”