Читать книгу The Ostrekoff Jewels онлайн

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"Do you expect me to believe a story like that?" Haven demanded angrily.

"Does it matter very much whether you believe it or not?" was the equable reply. "You are here in charge of property belonging to the late Prince. I am sure that he would be delighted to hear that his debt has been paid. You are in this place, as I remarked, practically alone. I am here with a company of fully armed soldiers who would lay down their lives for me. You get my point, Mr. Wilfred Haven?"

"You've been a long time coming to it."

"There seemed no necessity for haste, as we are not likely to be disturbed," Patinsky pointed out. "I will accept as a full discharge of the Prince's liability to me the contents of the despatch satchel which you were carrying chained to your wrist, returning to you any papers or documents with which the American Government is concerned. How does that proposition sound to you?"

"Rotten," was Haven's brief comment.

Patinsky rose to his feet. He had been clever enough all the time to keep the advantage. His fingers were nearer to his holster now than Haven's to his hip pocket. His sword too was within a few inches of his fingers.