traced. I want no awkward enquiries made, you understand. Therefore ..."
and I flung the burning mass of papers into the grate.

"Good, good!" said the German and put her lamp down on the table. "There
was a telephone message for you," she added, "to say that der Stelze
will come at eight in the morning to receive what you have brought."

The deuce! This was getting awkward. Who the devil was Stelze?

"Coming at eight is he?" I said, simply for the sake of saying
something.

"Jawohl!" replied Frau Schratt. "He was here already this morning. He
was nervous, oh! very, and expected you to be here. Already two days he
is waiting here to go on."

"So," I said, "he is going to take ... _it_ on with him, is he?" (I
knew where he was "going on" to, well enough: he was going to see that
document safe into Germany.)

There was a malicious ring in the woman's voice when she spoke of
Stelze. I thought I might profit by this. So I drew her out.

"So Stelze called to-day and gave you his orders, did he?" I said,
"and ... and took charge of things generally, eh?"

Her little eyes snapped viciously.

"Ach!" she said, "der Stelze is der Stelze. He has power; he has
authority; he can make and unmake men. But I ... I in my time have