“My terror from moment to moment was that some other customer should come in, though a holiday evening was usually a blank in a business sense until the Christian shops shut.  Still, it was a serious danger which impelled me to open my attack with as little delay as possible.  I had several alternative plans and I commenced with the one that I thought most promising.  Taking advantage of a little pause in the conversation, I said in a confidential tone: 

“’I wonder if you can give me a little advice.  I want to find somebody who will buy some valuable property without asking too many questions and who won’t talk about the deal afterwards.  A safe person, you know.  Can you recommend me such a person?’

“He turned in the chair to look at me.  All his self-complacent smiles were gone in an instant.  The face that looked into mine was the face of as sinister a villain as I have ever clapped eyes on.

“‘The person you mean,’ he said fiercely, ’is a fence—­a receiver.  Why do you ask me if I know a fence?  Who are you?  Are you a spy for the police?  Hein?  What should I know about receivers?  Answer me that!’

“He glared at me with such furious suspicion that I instinctively opened my scissors and looked at the neighborhood of his carotid.  But I took his question quite pleasantly.

“‘That’s what they all say,’ I remarked with a foolish smile.

“‘Who do?’ he demanded.

“’Everybody that I ask.  They all say, “What should I know about fences?” It’s very inconvenient for me.’

“‘Why is it inconvenient to you?’ he asked less savagely and with evidently awakening curiosity.

“I gave an embarrassed cough.  ‘Well, you see,’ I said, ’it’s this way.  Supposing I have some property—­valuable property, but of a kind that is of no use to me.  Naturally I want to sell it.  But I don’t want it talked about.  I am a poor man.  If I am known to be selling things of value, people may make uncharitable remarks and busy-bodies may ask inconvenient questions.  You see my position?’ Piragoff looked at me fixedly, eagerly.  A new light was in his eye now.

“‘What have you got?’ he demanded.

“I coughed again.  ‘Aha!’ I said with a smile.  ’It is you who are asking questions now.’

“’But you ask me to advise you.  How can I if I don’t know what you have got to sell?  Perhaps I might buy the stuff myself.  Hein?’

“‘I think not,’ said I, ’unless you can write a check for four figures.  But perhaps you can?’

“’Yes, perhaps I can, or perhaps I can get the money.  Tell me what the stuff is.’

“I clipped away at the top of my speed—­and I could cut hair very quickly if I tried.  No fear of his slipping away now.  I had him fast.

“‘It’s a complicated affair,’ I said hesitatingly, ’and I don’t want to say much about it if you’re not in the line.  I thought you might be able to put me on to a safe man in the regular trade.’