It was at this point that Ruroede had his visions of slung shots, so he admitted he had paid Carrots $100 only a few days before. “Well,” demanded Aucher, “ain’t there going to be any more?” “Nope. Not now,” Ruroede replied. “Maybe next month.” “Now see here,” said Aucher. “Let’s cut this guy out. He’s just nothing but a booze fighter, and he’s been kidding you for money without delivering the goods. What’s the matter with just fixing it up between ourselves?” Ruroede now tried to put Aucher off till Christmas, having recalled meanwhile that the steamer _Bergensfjord_ was to sail on January 2d, and that he might need passports for officers travelling on that ship. But Aucher protested that he was “broke,” and further impressed on Ruroede that he had gotten no money from Carrots or Wedell for his work for them. He also produced six letters written by the State Department in answer to applicants for passports, and finally convinced Ruroede of his good faith and that he ought to start him to work right away. They haggled over the price, and finally agreed on $20 apiece for passports for native-born Americans and $30 apiece for passports of naturalized citizens--the higher price for getting the latter because they involved more red-tape and hence more risk. Aucher was to come back on December 24th and bring the passports and get some money on account. On that day Aucher called at Ruroede’s office, and after further quarrelling about Carrots and his honesty, Ruroede declared that he was ready to do business. Aucher objected to the presence of a young man in the room with them, and Ruroede replied: “Oh, he’s all right. He’s my son, and you needn’t be afraid to talk with him around.” Aucher then produced an American passport, No. 45,573, made out in the name of Howard Paul Wright, for use in Holland and Germany. It was a perfectly good passport, too, as it had been especially made out for the purpose by the Department of State at the request of the Department of Justice. It bore Mr. Bryan’s genuine signature, and a photograph of “Wright,” who was another agent of the Bureau of Investigation. Aucher also declared he was on the way toward getting the other five passports. Ruroede threw the Wright passport on his desk and said: “I’ll keep this. Go ahead and get the others.” “What about money?” demanded Aucher.