"I don't know what you mean," he muttered.
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.
"Johann Lassen. Hope I haven't disturbed your packing."
"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?"
"Oh come, that won't do. Anyhow he does, and that's enough for me." I tried to pop in the suggestion of a threat.
"You know that without my telling you; I only know what he called himself. You don't send men about the place on secret errands without knowing their names, do you?"
"I never heard of the man, and I've had enough of your tomfoolery."
"Just as you like. I can deal with him, of course." I heard him swear sulphurously.
"What does he want?" he growled after a pause.
"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.
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."
"Then he's a liar," he cried furiously. "He sent me here this morning so that I should know you by sight, first for that business in the Thiergarten this afternoon and then for this affair now."
"Don't tell me such lies, you murderous brute. Why, not ten minutes ago you gave me another name. Von Erstein, indeed, my friend!"
"Friend! He's no friend of yours. He's got me under his thumb for another thing and drove me to do both jobs by threatening to split on me. I can't get into the hands of the police. If you'll let me go I'll tell you all I know about it."