id open a drawer in the big desk and took from it
a revolver, at which Roly exclaimed:

"I say--whatever makes you think he'll come here?"

"Oh, he will come! There is no doubt of it. He has promised me that
much. Those were his last words--"

"Er--why don't you clear out? You don't have to stay and see him."

But the old man's eyes were red and vindictive as he shook his head.
"You don't understand. So long as he lives we are none of us safe, not
even you. Besides, he would return again; he hangs upon me like a leech.
I--I dream about him."

"Well, what are you going to do?"

"If I--if I should kill him, the law would say nothing. I could kill him
very easily and nothing would be said. You understand?" Cousin Alfred's
lips were watery; little drops of moisture gleamed upon his sallow face;
he eyed the pistol with a shrinking fascination. "I--I--" He fell to
trembling weakly, as his first desperation cooled.

Van Dam watched him curiously. He looked up, at length, to meet Roly's
gaze. His own eyes were wavering; his face was distorted with mingled
fear and eagerness. He stretched his neck, as if he already felt on it
the fingers of his cousin Emile. When Van Dam did not offer to help him
he whined: "He has always intended to even up the score; but I am an old
man. My hand is unsteady. Perhaps you--It would be worth something to
escape those dreams! I could afford to pay well, as you know. You are a
strong man. You have no nerves; your hand is sure--" The old villain's
expression was crafty; he was gnawed by a fierce desire that he was
loath to put into words.

"You mean you'd like to have me make away with him?" queried Van Dam, as
if in a dream.

"Yes, yes! The law would say nothing."

"How so? It's not so easy to kill a man and--"

"But the reward--two thousand dollars! You would get that. I will double
it. Eh? Come now, is it a bargain?" The speaker was trembling, but when
he received no answer he went on: "I will take the blame upon myself. I
will say that I did it; and you will get the money--four thousand
dollars. Let us say five thousand, eh? A tidy sum for a moment's work
with no risk. We are alone in the house. No one but the Wolf knows you
are here. Even I don't know--By the way, I--I haven't seen you yet."

"Under the circumstances, I think I'll keep my mask on," Van Dam
answered. "Perhaps the less you know about me, the better."

"Then you agree?" queried the other, all ashake.

Roly decline