“The next room won’t do,” interrupted Julius.  “I know these ducal suites—­and I want this one plumb empty except for you and me.  Send him round to a store to buy a penn’orth of peanuts.”

Though not particularly enjoying the American’s free and easy manner of speech, Kramenin was devoured by curiosity.  “Will your business take long to state?”

“Might be an all night job if you caught on.”

“Very good, Ivan.  I shall not require you again this evening.  Go to the theatre—­take a night off.”

“Thank you, your excellency.”

The secretary bowed and departed.

Julius stood at the door watching his retreat.  Finally, with a satisfied sigh, he closed it, and came back to his position in the centre of the room.

“Now, Mr. Hersheimmer, perhaps you will be so kind as to come to the point?”

“I guess that won’t take a minute,” drawled Julius.  Then, with an abrupt change of manner:  “Hands up—­or I shoot!”

For a moment Kramenin stared blindly into the big automatic, then, with almost comical haste, he flung up his hands above his head.  In that instant Julius had taken his measure.  The man he had to deal with was an abject physical coward—­the rest would be easy.

“This is an outrage,” cried the Russian in a high hysterical voice.  “An outrage!  Do you mean to kill me?”

“Not if you keep your voice down.  Don’t go edging sideways towards that bell.  That’s better.”

“What do you want?  Do nothing rashly.  Remember my life is of the utmost value to my country.  I may have been maligned——­”

“I reckon,” said Julius, “that the man who let daylight into you would be doing humanity a good turn.  But you needn’t worry any.  I’m not proposing to kill you this trip—­that is, if you’re reasonable.”

The Russian quailed before the stern menace in the other’s eyes.  He passed his tongue over his dry lips.

“What do you want?  Money?”

“No.  I want Jane Finn.”

“Jane Finn?  I—­never heard of her!”

“You’re a darned liar!  You know perfectly who I mean.”

“I tell you I’ve never heard of the girl.”

“And I tell you,” retorted Julius, “that Little Willie here is just hopping mad to go off!”

The Russian wilted visibly.

“You wouldn’t dare——­”

“Oh, yes, I would, son!”

Kramenin must have recognized something in the voice that carried conviction, for he said sullenly: 

“Well?  Granted I do know who you mean—­what of it?”

“You will tell me now—­right here—­where she is to be found.”

Kramenin shook his head.

“I daren’t.”

“Why not?”

“I daren’t.  You ask an impossibility.”

“Afraid, eh?  Of whom?  Mr. Brown?  Ah, that tickles you up!  There is such a person, then?  I doubted it.  And the mere mention of him scares you stiff!”