“I’m in no hurry,” he said serenely. “I hope that you haven’t hurt Malone much, for the sake of ensuring this private conversation. By the way, what are you leading up to? You’ve got something else in view beyond amusing yourself with light and airy persiflage at my expense.”

Larry nodded. “You are an embarrassment, Mr. Labar. I had a faint hope that I might reach here in front of you, in which case I might have avoided having to deal with you⁠—somehow.” He laid grim stress on the last word. “I gather that Adèle here, has talked. That may be singularly unfortunate for both of us.”

“For you,” amended Labar grimly. He could not resist a little touch of brag although he knew it was dangerous. “I have got the ends in my hand, Larry, and when I have followed them up it will be difficult for you to wriggle out. You’ve had to come out in the open, and you know what that means in the long run. Why don’t you use your brains, man? Take your medicine now and get it over. You might perhaps, get away with seven years, if you helped us to get back the Gertstein things.”