"My dear fellow, you really become annoying," and Armitage again thrust
his hand into his trousers pocket. "I should hate awfully to appeal to
the police; but you must not crowd me too far."

The man seemed moved by deep feeling, and his eyes were bright with
excitement. His hands clasped tightly the railing that protected the
glass window of the book shop. As Armitage turned away impatiently the
man ejaculated huskily, as though some over-mastering influence wrung the
words from him:

"Don't you know me? I am Oscar--don't you remember me, and the great
forest, where I taught you to shoot and fish? You are--"

He bent toward Armitage with a fierce insistence, his eyes blazing in his
eagerness to be understood.

John Armitage turned again to the window, leaned lightly upon the iron
railing and studied the title of a book attentively. He was silently
absorbed for a full minute, in which the man who had followed him waited.
Taking his cue from Armitage's manner he appeared to be deeply interested
in the bookseller's display; but the excitement still glittered in his
eyes.

Armitage was thinking swiftly, and his thoughts covered a very wide range
of time and place as he stood there. Then he spoke very deliberately and
coolly, but with a certain peremptory sharpness.

"Go ahead of me to the New American and wait in the office until I come."

The man's hand went to his hat.