"What's the matter with you?" she repeated. "Your lips are twitching and you are turning green!"
He stammered:
"The p-p-police!"
From the same sunken lane two horsemen came into the cross-roads, they rode on in front of the little party.
"You see," said Dorothy, smiling, "they're not taking any notice of us."
"No; but they're going to the château."
"Of course they are. There's a fête there; and two policemen have to be present."
"Always supposing that they haven't discovered the disappearance of the earrings and telephoned to the nearest police-station," he groaned.
"It isn't likely. The lady will only discover it to-night, when she dresses for dinner."
"All the same, don't let's go there," implored the unhappy stripling. "It's simply walking into the trap.... Besides, there's that man ... the man in the hole."