"Still taking an interest in my movements, Mr Simmonds? I thought your gang had tired of me." "You pay yourself a poor compliment, Mr Van Bleit," was the dry response. "The Colonel seems keener on your society just now than on any other. He'd like to see you. I've been hanging about outside this social ballet for some time with the express object of telling you so." "A dull amusement," Van Bleit returned, lighting his cigar, "which you might have spared yourself. Colonel Grey and I have given free vent to our opinions of one another sufficiently often to obviate the necessity of a repetition of our views. Mine have undergone no change--I doubt that his have." "I doubt it too," Simmonds replied. "But this matter he has in mind has no bearing on his personal feelings. He has had a letter recalling him to England." "I'm glad of that at least," said Van Bleit. "There were other matters contained in the letter besides his recall which concern you," Simmonds added. "He wishes to see you on the subject." "You may tell him from me," Van Bleit answered rudely, "that his postal communications, as his movements, have not the slightest interest for me." He started to walk again. Simmonds, wholly unmoved, walked beside him. "You speak without knowledge, Mr Van Bleit," he said. "The instructions contained in this imperative and important letter concern you very particularly. Colonel Grey has a further proposal to lay before you, which you will be well advised to consider. Failing a satisfactory issue to these final negotiations, he is instructed to place the matter in the hands of the police and return to England." Van Bleit, his assurance notwithstanding, was taken aback. He had not foreseen this move, and was totally unprepared for it. It was merely bluff, he told himself, and really believed it was so; but at the back of the belief lurked the fear that his victim might have grown reckless, and, with the courage that is sometimes born of despair, be prepared to face the worst. "Faugh!" he exclaimed impatiently. "That's an old dodge." But his voice had lost its confidence and resumed its natural bullying tones. "Go and tell your chief to do his worst, and be damned to him!" "Go and tell him yourself," returned Simmonds. "You could at least then hear what he has to say." "And how do I know you are not up to some treachery?" demanded Van Bleit, his suspicions at once on the alert. "I suppose it is natural you should judge other men by your own standard," Simmonds answered indifferently. "If you are afraid we may arrange a trap, why not go and see him to-night when he is unprepared for your visit?" "What makes you so confident we should find him at home?" Van Bleit asked quickly. "Because, until I set out to look for you, I was seated on his stoep with him, smoking." "--And discussing me?" "And discussing the letter and its conditions as they concerned you-- yes."