"What's this, Excellency?" asked Ledermann. "Whom have we here?"

"A stubborn little boy," said the Wolf. "A stubborn little boy,
who is going to think better of his course of action in just a
few minutes, and who is then going to tell me ever so many things
that I want to know."

Asa stared at the Wolf's wicked eyes and shivered. The Wolf
turned away.

"What news to-night, Ledermann?" he asked.

"Adolph is dead for one thing," said Ledermann coolly. "He had
one of his convulsions on the street, and it finished him."

"We were about through with him," said the Wolf heartlessly. He
dismissed the subject. "What else?" he demanded.

"I have all the papers," answered Ledermann. "And as I could not
get here until dark, I took a room in a safe little hotel where I
would be undisturbed, and I made the copy for you." He handed
over a tiny square of paper.

The Wolf carefully unfolded it. Then he laughed gleefully.
"Fine; fine, Ledermann! This finishes our work."

He crossed his leg over his knee, took a peculiar looking wrench
from his pocket, fitted it round the heel of his shoe, and turned
it. The other man caught his arm, and spoke rapidly in German.