There was a price on my head when it was known that I had
fled." Grumbach stared into his pipe without seeing anything.
"And no one ever came for the reward? That is strange. Was immunity
promised?" asked Carmichael.
"It was inferred, but not literally promised."
"Fear kept them away."
"Perhaps. And there is Arnsberg."
"Was he guilty?"
"I never saw _his_ hand anywhere."
"So this is the story! Well, when a man's in love he is, more or less,
in the clutch of temporary insanity." Carmichael's tone wasn't exactly
cheery.
"Insanity! Then you do not judge me harshly?"
"No, Hans. I've a wild streak in me also. But what I can't understand is
why you return and put your head in the lion's mouth. The police will
stumble on something. I tell you frankly that if you are arrested I
could do little or nothing for you. The United States protects only
harmless political outcasts. Yours is a crime such as nullifies your
citizenship, and any government would be compelled, according to the
terms of treaty, to send you back here, if the demand was made for your
extradition."
"I know all that," Grumbach replied, dumping the ash into his palm and
casting it into the paper-basket.
"I suppose that when conscience drives we must go on.
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