Mr. Clamart, at the present moment or later, I would not feel the slightest compunction at robbing you, yourself. I marvel at your effrontery in coming here to demand those pearls from the Chief, and I marvel still more at his so far yielding to an unwarranted sentiment as to give them up. If anybody has been wronged it seems to me that I am that person. As for the other pearls, I very deeply regret that somebody else should have got them. I had hoped to do that job myself."
I glanced at Ivan. His face was pale and his eyes lurid. It flashed across my mind that Chu-Chu might have found some difficulty in obtaining his consent to my murder, and that for the purpose of proving that I was a serious danger to the band, Chu-Chu was now deliberately trying to anger me and make me show my hand. He was trying to tempt me to a threat. He wanted to make me say that if all ties between us were broken I would consider myself free to use offensive action. He saw the disbelief in my face and knew that I was convinced in my own mind that he had stolen Edith's pearls and that they were at that moment either in his or Ivan's possession. Once I made such a threat the end would come quickly. That was to be the signal for my death. It was possible that Ivan had refused to believe that I would do this, and failing to get any satisfaction, would let the matter drop. Ivan did not want my life, if it could be avoided, but if it came to a choice between that and exposure, he would no doubt act with deadly suddenness. He was sitting, as I have said, behind his desk, and the lower half of his body was hid from me. I had but little doubt
