He saw the driver of the phaeton strike
his horse with a whip, and the horse, suddenly breaking into a gallop,
slipped and fell to the ground on the tramtrack. A moment later the tram
came to a stop behind the fallen horse, and Denzil saw the disturbed face
of Barode Barouche looking for another trap--in any case, it would take
three or four minutes to get the horse up and clear the track for the
tram. There was no carriage in sight--only a loaded butcher's cart,
a road-cleaner, and a heavily loaded van. These could be of no use to
Barouche.
In his corner, Denzil saw the play with anxious eyes.
It was presently found that the horse had injured a leg in falling and
could not be got to its feet, but had presently to be dragged from the
tram-lines. It had all taken near five minutes of the time before the
train went, and, with despair, Barouche mounted the steps of the tram.
He saw Denzil, and shrewdly suspected he was working in the interests of
Carnac. He came forward to Denzil.
"You're a long way from home, little man," he said in a voice with an
acid note.
"About the same as you from home, m'sieu'," said Denzil.
"I've got business everywhere in this town," remarked Barouche with
sarcasm--"and you haven't, have you? You're travelling privately, eh?"
"I travel as m'sieu' travels, and on the same business," answered Denzil
with a challenging smile.
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