I gripped it hard with both hands. '_Pardon_, M. le Comte,' I answered;
'Lady Georgina intrusted it to _my_ safe keeping, and, without her
leave, I cannot give it up to any one.'

'You mistrust me?' he cried, looking black. 'You doubt my honour? You
doubt my word when I say that miladi has sent me?'

'_Du tout_,' I answered, calmly. 'But I have Lady Georgina's orders to
stick to this case; and till Lady Georgina returns I stick to it.'

He murmured some indignant remark below his breath, and walked off. The
shabby-looking passenger was pacing up and down the platform outside in
a badly-made dust-coat. As they passed their lips moved. The Count's
seemed to mutter, '_C'est un coup manque._'

However, he did not desist even so. I saw he meant to go on with his
dangerous little game. He returned to the _buffet_ and rejoined Lady
Georgina. I felt sure it would be useless to warn her, so completely had
the Count succeeded in gulling her; but I took my own steps. I examined
the jewel-case closely. It had a leather outer covering; within was a
strong steel box, with stout bands of metal to bind it. I took my cue at
once, and acted for the best on my own responsibility.

When Lady Georgina and the Count returned, they were like old friends
together. The quails in aspic and the sparkling hock had evidently
opened their hearts to one another. As far as Malines they laughed and
talked without ceasing. Lady Georgina was now in her finest vein of
spleen: her acid wit grew sharper and more caustic each moment. Not a
reputation in Europe had a rag left to cover it as we steamed in beneath
the huge iron roof of the main central junction.

I had observed all the way from Ostend that the Count had been anxious
lest we might have to give up our _coupe_ at Malines. I assured him more
than once that his fears were groundless, for I had arranged at Charing
Cross that it should run right through to the German frontier. But he
waved me aside, with one lordly hand. I had not told Lady Georgina of
his vain attempt to take possession of her jewel-case; and the bare fact
of my silence made him increasingly suspicious of me.

'Pardon me, mademoiselle,' he said, coldly; 'you do not understand these
lines as well as I do. Nothing is more common than for those rascals of
railway clerks to sell one a place in a _coupe_ or a _wagon-lit_, and
then never reserve it, or turn one out half way. It is very possible
miladi may have to descend at Malines.