“Now what can I do for you? I suppose you know that you ought not to have come anywhere near me? How did you find me out? Was it the ever-to-be-condemned tune I whistled?” Von Kahn chuckled. “I have known about you for a long time,” he said, “and as I am in need of help I thought I would take the bull by the horns and seek this interview.” “Are you alone?” asked Mr. Brown. “Quite alone,” said von Kahn promptly. “I mean, were you alone in making the discovery?” “Quite alone,” said von Kahn again. “Then you are a remarkably shrewd fellow,” laughed Brown. I can tell you it made my blood boil to hear this swine-hound taking all the credit for this discovery. Little he knew that I was standing outside the window listening to his immodest perfidy! Could he not have said, “No, Excellency; the credit is due entirely to my respected chief, whose name I am forbidden to mention. I am merely an instrument in a superior hand?” Oh, no! In his vanity and deceit he must take full kudos to himself. Would he go any farther? Almost as I framed this question he spoke. “I would ask your Excellency,” he said, “if you ever refer to this meeting to the illustrious Chief of Naval Intelligence that you will give him a testimonial.” I could hardly restrain myself. For one second it was in my mind to rap sharply at the window and denounce this underling. But, fortunately, I restrained myself, though I was boiling with rage. We Germans have a keen sense of justice and are inherently, almost transparently, honest, and nothing so distresses us, so angers us, as duplicity and ingratitude. “But surely,” said Mr. Brown’s voice, “you did not come alone to-night.” I waited. Just as I had been anxious for von Kahn to give me full credit, so was I now as anxious to hear him deny my presence. I do not know what it was that brought this revulsion of feeling, whether it was something in the tone of Mr. Brown or some instinctive flash of knowledge that all was not well, but I sweated as I stood waiting for the answer which seemed an eternity in coming, though in reality it was only a second or so. “No, I assure you, Herr Brown,” said von Kahn, “I came alone.” “That makes matters simple,” said Brown’s voice, and as he spoke the light went out. I heard von Kahn shout, but his voice was instantly muffled. There was a struggle, a thud that seemed to shake the little building, a groan, and then silence. I had my automatic pistol in my hand in a second.