But how? It had
never left my shoulder. And then I remembered that it had--that I had
taken it off when I had changed my coat and for the few moments that
I was searching for Natalie. I remembered that the woman had sent me
on that goose-chase, and that at every other station she had tried to
get rid of me on some fool-errand.
"I gave a roar like a mad bull, and I jumped down the stairs, six
steps at a time.
"I demanded at the office if a distinguished lady of title, possibly
a Russian, had just entered the hotel.
"As I expected, she had not. I sprang into a cab and inquired at two
other hotels, and then I saw the folly of trying to catch her without
outside help, and I ordered the fellow to gallop to the office of the
Chief of Police. I told my story, and the ass in charge asked me to
calm myself, and wanted to take notes. I told him this was no time
for taking notes, but for doing something. He got wrathy at that, and
I demanded to be taken at once to his Chief. The Chief, he said, was
very busy, and could not see me. So I showed him my silver greyhound.
In eleven years I had never used it but once before. I stated, in
pretty vigorous language, that I was a Queen's Messenger, and that if
the Chief of Police did not see me instantly he would lose his
official head.
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