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pocket； and in it he found a crumpled piece of paper。 He took it
out； smoothed and read it。 It was a post office receipt for a
registered letter。 The date was still clear； but the name of the
person to whom the letter had been addressed was illegible。 The
creases of the paper and a certain dampness； as if it had been
inadvertently touched by a wet finger； had smeared the writing。
But the letter had been sent the day before the death of John
Siders； and it had been registered from the main post office in
G…。 This was sufficient for Muller。 Then he turned to the desk。
Here also there was nothing that could help him。 But a sudden
thought； came to him； and he took up the blotting pad。 This； to
his delight； was in the form of a book with a handsome embroidered
cover。 It looked comparatively new and was； as Muller surmised； a
gift from Miss Roemer to her betrothed。 But few of the pages had
been used； and on two of them a closely written letter had been
blotted several times； showing that there had been several sheets
of the letter。 Muller held it up to the looking…glass； but the
repeated blotting had blurred the writing to such an extent that it
was impossible to decipher any but a few disconnected words； which
gave no clue。 On a page further along on the blotter； however； he
saw what appeared to be the impression of an address。 He held it
up to the glass and gave a whistle of delight。 The words could be
plainly deciphered here：
MR。 LEO PERNBURG；
〃FRANKFURT AM MAIN；
〃MAINZER LANDSTRASSE。〃
and above the name was a smear which； after a little study； could
be deciphered as the written word 〃Registered。〃
With this page of the blotter carefully tucked away in his
pocketbook； Muller hurried to the post office； arriving just at
closing hour。 He made himself known at once to the postmaster； and
asked to be shown the records of registered letters sent on a
certain date。 Here he found scheduled a letter addressed to Mr。
Leo Pernburg； Frankfurt am Main； sent by John Siders； G…； Josef
Street 7。
Muller then hastened to the telegraph office and despatched a
lengthy telegram to the postal authorities in Frankfurt am Main。
When the answer came to him next morning； he packed his grip and
took the first express train leaving G…。 He first made a short
visit； however； to Albert Graumann's cell in the prison。 Muller
was much too kind…hearted not to relieve the anxiety of this man；
to whom such mental strain might easily prove fatal。 He told
Graumann that he was going in search of evidence which might throw
light on the death of Siders； and comforted the prisoner with the
assurance that he； Muller； believed Graumann innocent； and believed
also that within a day or two he would return to G… with proofs
that his belief was the right one。
Three days later Muller returned to Grunau and went at once to the
Graumann home。 It was quite late when he arrived； but he had
already notified Miss Roemer by telegram as to his coming； with a
request that she should be ready to see him。 He found her waiting
for him； pale and anxious…eyed； when he arrived。 〃I have been to
Frankfurt am Main；〃 he said； 〃and I have seen Mr。 Pernburg … 〃
〃Yes； yes； that is the name； now I remember；〃 interrupted the girl
eagerly。 〃That is the name of John's friend there。〃
〃I have seen Mr。 Pernburg and he gave me this letter。〃 Muller laid
a thick envelope on the girl's lap。
She looked down at it； her eyes widening as if she had seen a ghost。
〃That … that is John's writing；〃 she exclaimed in a hoarse whisper。
〃Where did it
come from？〃
〃Pernburg gave it to me。 The day before his death John Siders sent
him this letter； requesting that Pernburg forward it to you before
a certain date。 When I explained the circumstances to Mr。 Pernburg；
he gave me the letter at once。 I feel that this paper holds the
clue to the mystery。 Will you open it？〃
With trembling hands the girl tore open the envelope。 It enclosed
still another sealed envelope； without an address。 But there was
a sheet of paper around this letter； on which was written the
following：
My beloved Eleonore：
Before you read what I have to say to you here I want you to promise
me； in memory of our love and by your hope of future salvation； that
you will do what I ask you to do。
I ask you to give the enclosed letter； although it is addressed to
you； to the Judge who will preside in the trial against Graumann。
The letter is written to you and will be given back to you。 For
you； the beloved of my soul； you are the only human being with whom
I can still communicate； to whom I can still express my wishes。
But you must not give the letter to the Judge until you have assured
yourself that the prosecuting attorney insists upon Graumann's guilt。
In case he is acquitted； which I do not think probable； then open
this letter in the presence of Graumann himself and one or two
witnesses。 For I wish Graumann； who is innocent； to be able to
prove his innocence。
You will know by this time that I have determined to end my life by
my own hand。 Forgive me； beloved。 I cannot live on without you
… without the honour of which I was robbed so unjustly。
God bless you。
One who will love you even beyond the grave；
Remember your promise。 It was given to the dead。
JOHN。
〃Oh； what does it all mean？〃 asked Eleonora； dropping the letter
in her lap。
〃It is as I thought；〃 replied Muller。 〃John Siders took his own
life； but made every arrangement to have suspicion fall upon
Graumann。〃
〃But why？ oh； why？〃
〃It was a terrible revenge。 But perhaps … perhaps it was just
retribution。 Graumaun would not understand that Siders could have
been suspected of； and imprisoned for； a theft he had not committed。
He must know now that it is quite possible for a man to be in danger
of sentence of death even； for a crime of which he is innocent。〃
〃Oh； my God！ It is terrible。〃 The girl's head fell across her
folded arms on the table。 Deep shuddering sobs shook her frame。
Muller waited quietly until the first shock had passed。 Finally
her sobs died away and she raised her head again。 〃What am I to
do？〃 she asked。
〃You must open this letter to…morrow in the presence of the Police
Commissioner and Graumaun。〃
〃But this promise？ This promise that he asks of me … that I should
wait until the trial？〃
〃You have not given this promise。 Would you take it upon yourself
to endanger your guardian's life still more？ Every further day
spent in his prison； in this anxiety； might be fatal。〃
〃But this promise？ The promise demanded of me by the man to whom
I had given my love？ Is it not my duty to keep it？〃
Muller rose from his chair。 His slight figure seemed to grow
taller； and the gentleness in his voice gave way to a commanding
tone of firm decision。
〃Our duty is to the living； not to the dead。 The dead have no right
to drag down others after them。 Believe me； Miss Roemer； the
purpose that was in your betrothed's mind when he ended his own
life； has been fulfilled。 Albert