"Au revoir," he repeated, and slipping by went below and made his way ashore.
She waited that he might get well on his way--that none might by any possibility associate them--then turning, went down after him and out to the pier, where her crew were already forgathering; and when or how she passed the word to them that it was not Paris to-night but the Inn of the Seven Sinners, neither Narkom nor Dollops could decide, close as they came on after her, for she seemed to speak to no one.
"No Inn of the Seven Sinners for you to-night, my lady, if my friend M. Ducroix has attended to that wireless message properly," muttered Narkom as he followed her. "Look sharp, Dollops, and if you see a Sergeant de Ville let me know. They've no luggage, that lot, and, besides, they are natives, so they will pass the customs in a jiffy. Hullo! there goes that pedler chap--and without his fez or his draperies, b'gad! Through the customs like a flash, the bounder! And there go the others, too. And she after them--she, by James! God! Where are Ducroix and his men? Why aren't they here?"--looking vainly about for some sign of the Chief of Police. "I can't do anything without _him_--here, on foreign soil. Why in heaven's name doesn't the man come?"
"Maybe he hasn't had time, guv'ner--maybe he wasn't on hand when the message arrived," hazarded Dollops. "It's not fifteen minutes all told since it was dispatched. So if----"
"There she goes! there she goes! Passed, and through the customs in a wink, the Jezebel!" interposed Narkom, in a fever of excitement, as he saw Margot go by the inspector at the door and walk out into the streets of the city. "Lord! if she slips me now----"
"She shan't!" cut in Dollops, jerking down his hat brim and turning up his collar. "Wait here till the cops come. I'll nip out after her and see where she goes. Like as not the cops'll know the place when you mention it; but if they don't--watch out for me; I'll come back and lead 'em."
Then he moved hurriedly forward, passed the inspector, and was gone in a twinkling.
For ten wretched minutes after he, too, had passed the customs and was at liberty to leave, Narkom paced up and down and fretted and fumed before a sound of clanking sabres caught his ear and, looking round, he saw M. Ducroix enter the place at the head of a detachment of police. He hurried to him and in a word made himself known.