CHAPTER 30.
THE TRUE AURIOLE.
Hugo Van Diest struggled to his feet gasping for breath and stroking his chin with sympathetic fingers. Comparatively speaking, Richard's blow had been a light one, but the Dutchman's training had not fitted him for taking punishment. He was hurt, outraged and resentful.
"This young man wass very violent, Hipps," he muttered jerkily. "I donno—s'no use—seems."
"Are we beat, Chief?"
"I don't like this word 'beat.' Mus' be a way." He paused for a moment to recover his breath then turned to Laurence. "This Miss Craven, she hass not arrifed yet?"
"She's here. Came five minutes ago."
"She know how we stand, yes?"
Hipps nodded.
"She don't quite register on the line we've adopted to make him talk.
Kind o' kept that in the background. Women are soft."