Asher Hawn nodded his head at this, and suddenly began to laugh low and heavy, which made Nora Smith feel terrible. He quickly put on his coat which he had thrown on the bed, opened the door, knocked on the door in the next room, and called out Joseph with a resentful face.

"... the plan worked?" Joseph looked unhappy, not smiling at all, but he did not seem to be angry.

Nora Smith nodded, went back to his room with Joseph, and turned to thank him formally. "Thank you, Joseph. If ...