“And leave you in this perilous position? No,” was his prompt and decisive answer.
“But I beg—nay, I implore you to do so,” she cried, holding out both her hands to him.
He shook his head slowly.
“It is quite impossible. If danger really exists, then I must face it.”
For some moments she remained silent.
“Have you seen Ghelardi lately?” she asked quite suddenly.
Her question surprised. What, he wondered, could she know?
“I saw him the day before yesterday,” was his vague reply.
“Has it not struck you that he is very ill-disposed towards you?” she exclaimed.
“Certainly. I have always known that—even while we were up the Nile, and he was passing as Jules Gigleux. He objected to our friendliness. Yet he never seemed to discover that you were acquainted with Henri Pujalet. That was curious, was it not?”