that the Fidelity
Company would make their written reports twice a month to him,
while the lawyer's gone."

"I must have these reports!" cried Braun, forgetting the raised
pitch of his voice, but the Venus and Tannhauser coterie around
were all now fondly busied with each other.

"I can get them! I have a key to Wade's own desk," glibly mouthed
the young spy.

"How did you get it?" eagerly demanded the astonished Braun.

"I had it made to get at his cigars," proudly boasted the unabashed
lad. "Wade keeps a couple of boxes of the best Havanas on Company
account, for the 'big customers.' Yes, and a drop of good old
cognac, too.

"There's often a bit of fun behind the ground glass partitions.
I've scraped a little eye hole."

"You are your sly mother's own darling imp," growled Braun, bringing
out his pocketbook. "She was the devil's own, too, before she got
old and lost her good looks," he sighed.

"Tell me," said he, selecting a note with grave deliberation, "how
much did Clayton deposit to-day?"

"Only thirty-eight thousand," contemptuously answered the boy, as
he clutched the note now held out to him. "Sometimes it's a round
hundred thousand," continued Emil, eager to show off his knowledge,
"and on the annual settlements, July 1 to 4th, last year we put
in two hundred thousand into the Astor Place. That's our biggest
monthly settlement. I always help Mr. Clayton pack it up, in his
own room, after he verifies the accountant's tabs."

Fritz Braun suddenly awoke from a reverie. "Get out of here now, and
see that you post me on all that this Clayton is up to at night,
on his Sundays and vacations. I'll give you a third twenty for
the two keys. I may want to take a look at his rooms some Sunday
when you are sporting out of town.

"And watch the spotters, too! You might do a good turn in pocket
money by posting him, but only as I tell you, mind that! Now, don't
go to the devil too fast. Do you ever give your mother any money?"

Einstein's vicious leer was a silent answer. "Tell her she shall
have a new silk dress from me, if you keep your wits about you.
Remember, Monday!"

The lad sped away at a curt nod of dismissal, and was soon lost in
the devil's whirlpool of the Bowery.

But, as Mr. Fritz Braun sedately finished his cosy dinner, he saw
strange golden gleams in the blue, wreathing smoke mists of his
Perfectos.

"Two hundred thousand; that would be a stake. And July, too; this
lawyer fellow