elter."

"Where?"

"You will see--with friends."

What did it matter to Bobinette where they were going while strange
doubts and horrid fears filled her mind?

"Who released you?"

They were passing beneath a street lamp. Vagualame noted that
Bobinette was regarding him with defiant eyes. Was this really
Vagualame? Was he an impostor?

Vagualame read her thoughts.

"Bobinette, you are nothing but a fool!" announced the old accordion
player: "The man arrested at your place was a detective, who had got
himself up like me to take you in!... You let him trick you! You are
an imbecile!"

Bobinette stopped.

"But then ... if a detective made himself up to resemble you, it means
they know you are guilty! It means they are after you! Why, it's a mad
thing you are doing, coming to meet me in that rig out! Why have you
not disguised yourself?"

Vagualame smiled.

"Possibly I have reason for it, a plan you know nothing about,
Bobinette!... But, let us return to the false Vagualame. How was it
you did not detect the fraud, if only by the voice?... How is it you
have not guessed the truth since?... When you received my telegram at
Rouen it should have been as clear as daylight to you!... Eh!"

Bobinette kept silence.

"Well, we will not dwell on the past," declared Vagualame, with an air
of magnanimity: "Fortunately your extraordinary simplicity has not had
any particular consequences--save the stupid way you let them get hold
of the gun piece, and allowed the false Corporal Vinson to escape!"...
In a menacing tone he said: "We will return to that question later."

"But," faltered Bobinette: "How could I act otherwise?"

Vagualame threw her such a look, a look so charged with fierce
contempt that she could no longer doubt that she was face to face with
her master. This master would not allow argument, discussion: well she
knew that!

She screwed up her courage to ask:

"How did you learn my address?"

"That is my business!" he declared: "What I want to know I get to
know--you must have seen that by this time!"

"How is it, then, you called at _The Crying Calf_ to-day?... Geoffrey
did not know you: he alone knew I was coming to see him!... You
followed me?"

"Suppose I did follow you?"... Vagualame's tone changed: it became
imperious.

"Have you quite finished asking me silly questions?... I consider it
is my turn to put a question or two to you--What are you doing?"

Bobinette bent her head.

"You h