He had been too confident and had committed a blunder.

Should he trust him?
With that swift unerring instinct which makes the perfect student of character, he said: "You will do me a great favor not to impart this suspicion to any one else." "Suspicion ?" "It is true: I am a secret agent;" and he said it proudly.
"You wish harm to none here ?" "_Mon dieu_! No.

I am here for the very purpose of saving you all from heartaches and misfortune and disillusion.

And had I set to work earlier I should have accomplished all this without a single one of you knowing it.

Now the matter will have to go on to its end." "Can you tell me anything ?" "Not now.