The Axe

The pledge was only a smoothly-plained piece of wood the size and thickness of a silver cigarette case. Afterwards, he had added to the wood a thin smooth piece of iron which he also picked up at the same time in the street. The iron strip was added to give weight, so that the woman might not guess the first minute that the thing was made of wood. All this had been stored by him beforehand under the sofa. As for getting the axe, that trifling business cost him no anxiety, for nothing could be easier. He rushed to the door, listened, caught up his hat, and began to descend his thirteen steps cautiously, noiselessly, like a cat