Then his jaw dropped and his eyes flew wide open.
"_Herr Gott!_" he stammered in a husky whisper. "Don't shoot!"
Whether it was the pleasure of discovering that the man had at last found his tongue or whether the innocence of his purpose was explained, Renwick found himself much relieved.
"Are you crazy?" the other was saying. "To draw a pistol upon me like that! What do you mean?"
But Renwick still held the pistol pointed in his neighbor's direction.
"I will trouble you to stand," he said quietly, "with your hands up and back toward me."
The man stared at him wide eyed but at last obeyed, lifting his huge back to its full height, and Renwick ran an investigating hand over his hip pockets. They were empty.
"Thanks," he said at last, "you may be seated." He felt a good deal of a fool but he managed an uncomfortable laugh as he returned the automatic to his pocket. "You see," he explained, "I owe you an apology----"
"Yes, sir--such an outrage upon my dignity. I do not understand----"
"Let me explain," went on Renwick, feeling more idiotic every moment; "I have an enemy who seeks my life and when you put your hand in your pocket I thought that you----"
"It is strange that a gentleman in a railway carriage may not be permitted to blow his nose without being threatened with a pistol," he said hotly.
"But you will admit, my friend, that your always being next to me in trains is at least suspicious."
"_Donnerwetter!_ And why, for the same reason, should I not be suspicious of _you_?"
"I trust at least that you have no enemies who seek _your_ life."
"Who knows?" he shrugged. "Every man has enemies. I will thank you, sir, to keep your pistol in your pocket."
"Willingly. And in return I may say that you may blow your nose as often as you please."
"_Danke_," with some irony. "You are very kind. I suppose, if when reaching Ujvidek, I should happen to be going in your direction you would shoot me without further question."
"That would depend on which direction you are taking," replied Renwick, with a sense of abortive humor.
"The devil you do----!" cried Renwick in English, starting forward and staring at the man. And then more calmly in German,
The fellow paused and looked out of the window again. "As to that--I do not know," he said slowly.