WHAT VON STUNNENBERG THOUGHT
For a moment the secret agent and the two Germans stood face to face;
then the former said, smilingly:
"I am sorry to be forced to go at such an early hour; but," and he
lifted his brows in such a way that might mean much or little, "there
are certain things which require my attention."
Von Stunnenberg twisted one point of his white moustache, and his blue
eyes glinted coldly.
"It would grieve me to keep you from your affairs," said he in his
rumbling voice, "but there is a trifling matter which I should like to
discuss with you. It will require, perhaps, only a few moments. The
length of time altogether depends upon yourself."
"I shall be only too glad," said Ashton-Kirk, agreeably. He glanced at
his watch and then added: "But since you say that the length of time
depends upon me, I will make it as short as possible. It is more than
likely that my presence will be urgently needed quite a little distance
from here in perhaps half an hour."
There was a small room at one side, and the German ambassador entered
this, followed by the others.
"Will you sit down?" he asked with grave politeness.
The secret agent did so. Hoffer also seated himself; his small head was
drawn down upon his big shoulders, the heavy face worked spasmodically;
the veins and cords of his tightly clinched hands stood out in high
relief.
"It would be a waste of time for us to indulge in any preamble," spoke
Von Stunnenberg, coldly. "I know why you came here to-night; and I know
that you have been in some degree successful in your errand. And so, as
that ground is covered, there is no need to go over it again."
Ashton-Kirk leaned back in his chair, and his white, even teeth shone as
he smiled.
"I have always found it best to _examine_ my ground; leaping over it is
seldom satisfactory," said he. "You say that you know why I came here
to-night. We will not discuss that if you are opposed to so doing," and
again the quick smile showed itself. "But as to your knowing I have been
in some degree successful, that is open to debate."
Hoffer protruded his small head, slowly, much as a turtle might do.
"Of course," said he, "we expected you to deny it. But your making a
statement and our accepting it are two different matters."
Ashton-Kirk nodded.
"To be sure," said he, calmly.
Hoffer was about to say something more; but his chief held up a hand.
"A certain instrument was about to pass into my possession to-night,"
said Von Stunnenberg to Ashton-Kirk. "You knew of this and came here to
prevent our being entrusted with it if you could. You are an able man,
Mr. Ashton-Kirk, but do not forget that we still have the faculty of
vision. Neither are we in the habit of allowing things to be taken from
beneath our noses."
"You represent a friendly power," said Ashton-Kirk, coldly, "and of
course could have no desire in the matter of the instrument in question
other than to hand it with your compliments to this government."
Von Stunnenberg nodded.
"Of course," said Hoffer.
"And it was so understood by others and myself," proceeded Ashton-Kirk.
"But there was a chance--I am perfectly frank, you see--that there might
be a desire upon your part to make sure that the document in question
was really what you supposed it. To venture to examine it would be a
matter of delicacy," and the speaker's voice was suavity itself, "and so
I concluded that it were a rather friendly thing to save you any
mental wrench of that sort by anticipating you."
"That," said Von Stunnenberg, and the smoothness of his voice was not a
whit behind that of the other, "was most considerate of you. Accept my
thanks. But," and his blue eyes were wide open in the fixity of the look
which he directed toward the secret agent, "we would much prefer to
assume our own responsibilities."
There was a short pause, then the ambassador leaned a trifle toward the
other.
"And so," he resumed, "I should take it as a further expression of your
good-will if you would hand the paper to me immediately."
Ashton-Kirk rose and looked at his watch once more.
[Illustration: "MY TIME IS SHORT"]
"My time is short," said he. "So if there is anything of importance, I
beg that you mention it at once."
Von Stunnenberg twisted his up-pointing moustache; his blue eyes were
like ice, his manner was grim and menacing.
"There is nothing to be gained by this attitude," said he. "We are not
children to be so deceived."
"You are not children to be so deceived," Ashton-Kirk smiled as he
repeated the ambassador's words. "Perhaps not; but Matsadi apparently
fancied it not very difficult when he arranged his little scene a few
minutes ago."
Von Stunnenberg cast a quick look at Hoffer. The latter's small head
turned slowly upon the secret agent.
"Matsadi _did_ arrange the scene," said he, and there was admiration in
his voice. "No stage manager could have done better. He had not watched
the English girl more than a moment when he saw--as did you and I," with
a conclusive wave of the hand, "that the papers desired were in the bag
at her side. At sight of the Italian woman he grasped his opportunity
for creating a momentary ruffle; in the midst of this, at a signal, his
confederate allowed the revolver to explode, so transforming the slight
confusion into a panic. During this his agent was to abstract the
document."
Ashton-Kirk nodded, after the manner of one workman exchanging
experiences with another.
"That was not all that I saw," went on Hoffer. "I saw Matsadi's agent
making his way toward Miss Corbin to play his part, before the discharge
of the revolver. Also," and the big jaws tightened, "I saw you doing
your best to anticipate him."
Ashton-Kirk laughed, and there was an odd expression in his singular
eyes.
"Was there nothing more that you noticed?" he asked.
"It was sufficient," put in Von Stunnenberg, grimly, "that he saw you
reach the girl's side before the Japanese. And, if anything more were
needed, an instant after you got within reaching distance, Miss Corbin
discovered that the papers were gone."
"And that Okiu was baffled," said Hoffer, "one had only to give him a
glance to discover. The rage in his face showed that you had beaten
them--that you had taken the prize out of their own trap."
Ashton-Kirk laughed once more.
"My dear sir," said he, "you credit me with a dexterity which I do not
possess. It is true that I did----" he paused and then turned to Hoffer.
"Aside from Okiu, did you see any one else--of Matsadi's?"
"No."
"Upon the fact that I reached Miss Corbin's side before Okiu you base
your belief that I must have secured the paper." Ashton-Kirk placed his
finger tips together with great nicety, and then looked placidly at
Hoffer. "Have you encountered Matsadi before this?"
"I have," answered the German.
"In that you have the advantage of me. But from what I have heard of
him, he is a man who plans with considerable effect. Is it likely," and
he bent toward the other slightly, "that he would stop at one man in the
crowd?"
The thick jowls of Holler bulged, and a dull red crept into his face.
"You mean----" he got this far and then stopped. "You think," he
continued, after a moment, "that there were more than Okiu?"
"_I know it_," said Ashton-Kirk. "I counted at least three. Matsadi is
not restricted to the use of his own countrymen. The man who dropped the
revolver, for example, was an American."
At that moment Fuller, his face wearing an anxious expression, looked
into the room. Seeing Ashton-Kirk he hurried to him.
"This," said he, holding out a message, "was just handed in. I told the
man that I would look you up."
Ashton-Kirk took the envelope, murmured an apology and tore it open.
There were but a few lines, and he read them at a glance; then he handed
the paper to Von Stunnenberg and arose.
"It seems," said he, "that everything is about ready for me, and I
really must go."
"Saw Matsadi come out just now," read the German ambassador. "Two
men who had preceded him signaled from across the street. He
joined them and all three hurried to the Japanese Embassy. Have
building surrounded and am awaiting you.
"CULBERSON."
Von Stunnenberg lifted a crimson face as he finished the message.
"The rats!" he cried. "They have beaten me!" He handed the paper back to
the secret agent; as he did so his countenance cleared somewhat, and he
smiled grimly. "And also," he added with some appreciation, "they have
beaten you."
"Not quite," replied Ashton-Kirk, coolly, as he buttoned up his long
coat. "I have still a card to play."
"You would not dare----" Hoffer paused as though the act the other had
in mind were too daring to even put into words. "Not in a foreign
embassy," he added, fearfully.
But the secret agent smiled.
"If the search for what I desire leads me to a foreign embassy, why
not?" asked he. "What I ventured in the German surely I shall not
hesitate to repeat in the Japanese. And now, gentlemen, I must say
good-night."
And with this he left the room and hurried down the hall, Fuller
following close behind him.