it. Come," he said in a level, patient tone. "Speak!"

Asa's pale, terrified eyes were fixed on his tormentor, but still
he was silent. The Wolf took a twenty-dollar gold piece from his
pocket and laid it on the table before the boy.

"Twenty dollars in gold," he said. He took other pieces like it
from his pocket and piled them up. "Wealth!"' he almost
whispered. "Did you ever have as much money as that?"

Asa shook his head.

The Wolf leaned confidentially forward.

"Now tell me all about everything," he said coaxingly. He
studied Asa.

Asa studied him in return. Like a fascinated bird staring at a
snake, he looked at the cold, glittering eyes, the browned face,
the sear on the cheek. As he looked, the sear slowly turned
white. It gave the effect of its springing out into plain sight.

He looked carefully all over the Wolf. It was as though he
wanted to remember every little detail. The Wolf smiled.

"Curious about me, are you?" he said with a snarl, his smile
fading away. "Well, if you won't speak, then I will have to
talk. Now I want to know just who is tracking me, and just how
much they think they know about me. And you are going to tell me
everything."