“When I suggested going out for the change,” volunteered Ted, “he didn’t want to trust me and said: ‘I’ll wait until later.’ Perhaps he intends going out.”
“Well, here is one way to coax him to go a little sooner. A German wants what he wants when he wants it, and he never stops wanting it until he gets it. When you go back, Ted, insist on being paid twice as much as the paper sells for. He probably will not pay it. He will consider it a holdup. But he will want that paper and it may hurry his departure. It is almost lunch-time anyway.
“Walker, you go to all the news-stands within three square blocks and also any stores you may see that sell newspapers and buy up any Wochen-Blatts they have. That ought to keep our friend busy trying to get what he wants and so give us more time. We will all meet in Room 418. I’ll steal up while you two are wrangling over your high-handed 51 outrage, Ted. Walker can come any time. There is small chance that he will be recognized. You see,” Strong added, his eyes smiling, “that’s the value of having the ordinary face Walker has. He looks like seventy-five million other folks, so no one would notice him.”
Ted rushed back to the office. “Everybody is poor around here or else they don’t want to make change. My, what trouble.” He was counting out the change and he now placed but forty cents on the man’s desk.
The man picked up the money and for a moment it looked as if he would not count it, but he did.
“Hey, boy, another nickel! You’re short here.”
“No, I’m not. I took a nickel for all the trouble I had in making change.” Ted felt mean and he knew his argument was a poor one, but he was doing it for a purpose.
“Five cents, or I don’t want the paper.” He made a threatening motion toward Ted.
Ted laughed at him. He threw the dime on the desk, picked up his paper and backed out of the door. The man was muttering fiercely in German. 52
Out on the street our hero watched from a nearby door. It was just mid-day and people were hurrying for their lunch. But it was at least twenty minutes before he saw his man walk out of the building. He watched him and saw him stop at one, then at another stand and try to obtain the desired paper. He was not successful and Ted saw him stroll further down the street.