"You're only making a fool of yourself, Rudolff. Lies are no good to me. You came here this morning with a yarn which you could only have got from one man in Berlin, and I know all about it. You were in the Thiergarten this afternoon and pointed me out to you know whom I mean."
It proved a good shot and he squirmed uneasily, although trying a feeble sort of denial. "What's the use of lying?" I rapped sternly.
"I don't know what you mean," he muttered.
"We'll soon settle that."
Taking the precaution to lock the door I turned to the telephone again and asked for von Erstein's number; and after some preliminaries with some one I took to be his servant, von Erstein answered me.
"Who is it?" he asked sharply.
"Johann Lassen. Hope I haven't disturbed your packing."
"What do you want with me?"
"Nothing; I've had quite enough of you already; but there's a friend of yours here and he's in a bit of difficulty."
"What the devil are you driving at? Who is he?"