Always most carefully and gradually Rudolf edged yet farther from the little shop.

At a distance of some five yards he halted finally, drew out his revolver, covered the man whom he took to be Bauer, and thus waited his fortune and his chance.
Now, it was plain that Bauer--for Bauer it was--would look for one of two things: what he hoped was to find Rudolf still in the house, what he feared was to be told that Rudolf, having fulfilled the unknown purpose of his visit, was gone whole and sound.

If the latter tidings met him, these two good friends of his whom he had enlisted for his reinforcement were to have five crowns each and go home in peace; if the former, they were to do their work and make ten crowns.

Years after, one of them told me the whole story without shame or reserve.

What their work was, the heavy bludgeons they carried and the long knife that one of them had lent to Bauer showed pretty clearly.
But neither to Bauer nor to them did it occur that their quarry might be crouching near, hunting as well as hunted.