"
He continued to look out over the bay towards the _Mahanaddy_, but Mark
Ruthine was looking at Seymour Michael.
"Yes," replied the General, "I wanted to talk to you about that. That was
really my reason for proposing that we should wait till the second
train."
"There cannot be much to say," said Jem Agar rather coldly.
"Well, I wanted to tell you all about it."
"About what?"
There was what the Captain had called an uncanny calm in the voice.
General Michael did not answer, and Jem turned slowly towards him.
"I presume," he said, "that I am right in taking it for granted that you
have carried out your share of the contract?"
"My dear fellow, it has been perfectly wonderful. The secret has been
kept perfectly."
"By all concerned?"
"Eh!--yes."
Michael was glancing furtively at Mark Ruthine, as the fox glances back
over his shoulder, not at the huntsman, but at the hounds.
"Did you tell them personally, or did you write?" pursued Jem Agar
relentlessly.
"My dear fellow," replied Michael, pulling out his watch, "it is a long
story, and we must get to the train.
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