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Page 27
The scar stood out white as chalk.
"No?" said the Wolf. He took another drink, then with a sudden
motion hurled Asa back in his chair and tied him there. Round
and round the thin figure he twisted the rope, until Asa could
not move a muscle. The Wolf propped the boy's feet up on a box,
and took off his shoes. Asa watched him curiously. He
remembered the wild Indian stories he had read. Was this going
to be a trial by fire, he wondered. The Wolf lighted a huge
cigar and smoked it until the end glowed red. Then he drew his
chair close to Asa's feet. He showed him the cigar.
"That would hurt on your bare feet, wouldn't?" he asked silkily.
"So much pain--and all because you want to be stubborn! Well, I
have taught stubborn boys--and men--many times many times! So
you had better tell me who suspects the Wolf."
A sound at the door caused him to turn. Ledermann entered.
"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.
"What possesses you, Excellency; are you mad? This boy--"
"Bah! What does it matter whether I finish him now or an hour
later?" he asked. "We can't let him go. I was obliged to punish
the Weasel to-night and he saw it. It seemed to affect him
unpleasantly. These American children know nothing of the value
of discipline. He is going to tell me all he knows before I
finish. The little rat--think of him defying me!"
The heel came off. Asa looked curiously. It was hollow and was
neatly packed with papers like the one in the Wolf's hand. The
Wolf turned out the precious packets, and looked them over
carefully. Ledermann looked from the Wolf intent on his papers,
to Asa, bound in the chair. He looked at the Wolf again. He
swayed a little; the drinks had gone to his head just enough to
make him unsteady and reckless. He had not intended to take so
much; the Wolf was always careful; but to-night--well, the day
had been a hard one, and the end was so near. For months he had
been under a terrific strain--Ledermann shook his head.
"See how I trust you," said the Wolf in English, looking up from
his papers, "I know you will never, never tell. Oh no, that
would be impossible! Isn't that a fine little place to hide
things?" he chuckled, and replaced the packets, screwed the heel
in place, and stamped his foot on the floor. Then he turned to
his bottle.
Ledermann had placed it beyond his reach.
"Give me that!" he demanded violently.
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