"Are you going to tell me the whole truth? We get to know many strange things here, you know."
"I went to see a man named Graun——"
"I know you did. You were followed and he was questioned. I won't ask you why you got what you did from him; but don't attempt to use it. Now go on about this other affair. Just everything; everything, and quite frankly."
"I will, sir. Let me get my thoughts in order again. You've taken me considerably by surprise." I paused a few seconds and then told him exactly what had occurred, from the moment of my receiving the telephone call, down to my discovery of von Erstein's ring under Anna's body.
He jumped up excitedly at that. "Why didn't you tell me that first?" he cried. "There isn't a moment to lose. I must see about it instantly;" and he hurried out of the room.
For the second time the tickets were within reach and I was alone in the room. He had apparently forgotten them in his excitement, and that I had only to stretch out my hand and secure them. Or had he gone out deliberately intending to give me the chance? He knew how eager I was to get away; the old Jew's tale must have shown that.
I didn't hesitate this time. I whipped them out of the portfolio and pocketed them. Had I better bolt, or stay to face him? A mighty difficult question. If I ran away, he might suspect; if I stayed, there was a chance that he might not miss them. If they were missed, they wouldn't be worth a pfennig. We should certainly be stopped at the station; there would be a scene and Nessa would be hopelessly compromised. That was unthinkable.
There was nothing for it, therefore, but to stay and face it out. It wasn't easy to do; and nothing in the world except the thought of the consequences to Nessa, could have glued me to my chair for the minutes I had still to wait for von Gratzen. It was a positive relief when the strain ended and he came back.
He was looking very grave and stern, and there were still traces of the excitement he had shown when he had left me.
How I watched him! The next moment would decide everything for me. He was thinking closely, paused with his hand to his forehead when halfway to the desk, nodded in response to a thought, and went on to his chair. I had to hold my breath, as he sat down and laid his hand on the portfolio. I was ready to throw up the sponge as he slightly lifted the top paper and toyed with it.