We belong together in life."
"Do you really believe you can blackmail me into a partnership?" I
turned at bay. "You must have seen that I wanted to keep out of your
way----"
"Oh, I saw all right. _You_ thought that I thought Amiens would be my
great chance, and you made up your mind it shouldn't be if you could
help it. Well, you won't be able to help it much longer, because I've
got something you want, and you can't get it except through me."
"I doubt very much that I could want anything you have," I said.
"Give your imagination wings."
"You are always teasing me to guess things I don't care to guess!"
"Here comes Dierdre back with Mrs. Beckett so I won't worry you to
guess. I've got a message from the Wandering Jew. Do you want it, or
don't you?"
CHAPTER XXVIII
If Julian had suddenly popped down an apple on the top of my head, _a
la_ Gessler and the son of William Tell, and thereupon proceeded to
shoot it off, I could have been no more amazed. For once he outflanked
me, caught me completely off my guard! I saw by the impish gleam in his
eye how delighted he was with himself.
"Yes or no, please; quick!" he fired the next volley as I stood
speechless.
"Yes!" I gasped. "I do want the message--if it's for me. But why should
he send word through you?"
"He didn't. I caught it as I might catch a homing carrier-pigeon. You
know, my motto is 'All's fair in love and war.' In my case, both
exist--your fault! Besides, what I did was for your good.
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