I did not tell her what had occurred, but merely that I had been detained and unable to send word.
"We thought you had been arrested, Paul; and Althea insisted upon rushing off to the police this morning. Herr von Felsen came early, and again this evening, and is with her now in the drawing-room. I must run and tell her the good news;" and she was rushing out of the room when I stopped her.
"Don’t tell her yet. I’ll change and go into them. Von Felsen may be glad to know I’m back."
"Oh, how I loathe that man, Paul! Had he anything to do with this?"
"My dear child, how could he?" I replied as I hurried off to get into some decent clothes.
I was not more than a few minutes making the change, and I went down to the room where the two were together. I paused a moment on the threshold in doubt whether I should not after all let Bessie announce my arrival.
"Yes, my solemn word on it. Bring him back and I will do all you wish."
It was Althea’s voice and I could not help hearing. It decided me, and I opened the door and entered.
She sprang to her feet and cried out with astonishment and I hoped delight, while von Felsen turned as pale as death.
"Good evening, Fräulein Althea," I said quietly, holding out my hand. "I am afraid I have given you and Bessie a great fright. I am very sorry."
She could not speak for the moment and her hand shook as she laid it in mine. Then after a pause: "Oh, Mr. Bastable, I--I am so relieved."
Affecting not to notice her agitation I turned to von Felsen. "Good-evening; I suppose you know the fuss I have stupidly caused."
I did not wish him to think that I knew of his hand in the affair, and spoke much more courteously than I had ever addressed him before.
"Yes, I did hear of it," he replied uneasily. "The fact is I was just offering my services in the matter."
"Well, I’m afraid it’s more than I should have done had you been the cause of the trouble. But then we don’t hit it off very well, do we? But you could not have done anything. It was just a police blunder at the last. I had a little trip into the country, and they took me for a tramp, or something of the sort. Of course it was all put right easily enough."
"Well, not exactly a voluntary outing. The fact is I was robbed in the street here in Berlin, and the scoundrels took me off in a motor-car. I found myself early this morning miles and miles away--I suppose there must have been a smash up or something; I had been unconscious evidently--and when I reached a station the man sent for the police, who shoved me into a cell and kept me there all day." I laughed as if the thing were the merest joke.