"Of course, I can quite understand," he said, "that Griffiths is
suspicious about me, but, after all, no one can prove that I have
broken the law here, and I shall not make things any better by
attempting an opera bouffe flight. Can I have my head tied up and
come and talk to you about it later on?"
"Oh, if you like," Philippa assented weakly. "I can't argue."
She made her way up to her room and changed her wet clothes. When
she came down, Lessingham was standing on the hearth rug in the
library, with a piece of buttered toast in one hand and a cup of tea
in the other. His head was very neatly bound up, and he seemed
quite at his ease.
"You know," he began, as he wheeled a chair up to the fire for her,
"that man Griffiths doesn't like me. He never took to me from the
first, I could see that. If it comes to that, I don't like Griffiths.
He is one of those mean, suspicious sort of characters we could very
well do without."
Philippa, who had rehearsed a little speech several times in her
bedroom, tried to be firm.
"Mr. Lessingham," she said, "you know that we are both your friends.
Do listen, please. Captain Griffiths is Commandant here and in a
position of authority. He has a very large power. I honestly
believe that it is his intention to have you arrested--if not
to-night, within a very few days.
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