"With all my heart," cried the Colonel. "We'll refer it to any one you
please. Lead on, _mon brave_, only you must take all or none. I
insist upon that. It is my right; let us all go before the
Commissary."
"There is no Commissary here in Culoz. You must travel to
Aix-les-Bains to find him. Fifteen miles from here."
"Well, why not? I'm quite ready," assented the Colonel, with an
alacrity I did not understand. I began to think he had some game of
his own.
"So am I ready," cried his lordship. "I desire most strongly to haul
this hectoring bully before the law, and let his flagrant misconduct
be dealt with in a most exemplary fashion."
I caught a curious shadow flitting across my comrade Tiler's face at
this speech. He evidently did not approve of my lord's attitude. Why?
I met his eye as soon as I could, and, in answer to my inquiring
glance, he came over to me and whispered:
"Don't you see? He," jerking his finger toward the Colonel, "wants us
to waste as much time as possible, while my lady slips through our
fingers and gets farther and farther on her road.
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