"To keep out of gaol, chiefly, I fancy."
"Oh, blazes! Can't you speak plainly?"
"Yes. You see that second little practical joke you fixed up for me to-day has missed fire; he's had a crack on the head from one of your mutual friends, and I've got him here. After what he told me I rang you up to know what you'd like to do about it. As you and I are such pals, it didn't seem quite friendly to give him in charge without letting you have a chance to tell me your side. See?"
"I tell you I don't know anything about it;" angrily with an oath.
"No thoroughfare that way, my beloved."
There was no reply; he had apparently rung off. So I used the opportunity to impress friend Rudolff and lead him to understand that von Erstein had told me everything, and then hung up the receiver, paused a moment, and again pretended to call up the police station.
This was too much for the man. "What are you going to do?" he asked.
"My friend tells me that he had nothing to do with it, knows nothing about you, and that I'd better hand you over to the police."
"Who were you talking to?"
"Count von Erstein."