Visibly his features hardened. If this surmise of
his were any way justified in the outcome, he promised Miss Cecelia Brooke
an hour of most painful penitence.
Woman or not, she need not look for mercy from him, who must ever be
merciless in his dealings with Ekstrom's crew.
To be made that one's tool!
The very thought was intolerable....
As for himself, possession of this paper meant that pitfalls were digged
for his every step.
If ever the British found cause to suspect him, his certain portion would
be to face a firing squad in dusk of early day.
If, on the other hand, these Prussian agents on board the _Assyrian_ ever
got wind of the fact that the cylinder was in his care, his fate was apt to
be a knife between his ribs the first time he was caught alone and--with
his back to the assassin.
Two courses, then, were open to him: the most sensible and obvious, to go
straightway to the captain of the _Assyrian_, report all that he knew or
surmised, and turn over the paper for safekeeping; one alternative, to hide
the cylinder so absolutely that the most drastic search would overlook it,
yet so handily that he could rid himself of it at an instant's notice.
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