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The police commissioner arrived soon； took possession of the rooms；
and made a thorough examination of the premises。 A letter found
on the desk gave another proof； if such were needed； that this was
not a case of suicide。 This letter was in the handwriting of the
dead man； and read as follows：
Dear Friend：
I appreciate greatly all the kindness shown me by yourself and your
good wife。 I have been more successful than I thought possible in
overcoming the obstacles you know of。 Therefore； I shall be very
glad to join you day after to…morrow； Sunday； in the proposed
excursion。 I will call for you at 8 A。M。 … the cab and the
champagne will be my share of the trip。 We'll have a jolly day
and drink a glass or two to our plans for the future。
With best greetings for both of you；
Your old friend；
John
G…； Friday； Sept。 23rd。
An envelope； not yet addressed； lay beside this letter。 It was
clear that the man who penned these words had no thought of suicide。
On the contrary； he was looking forward to a day of pleasure in the
near future； and laying plans for the time to come。 The murderer's
bullet had pierced a heart pulsing with the joy of life。
This was the gist of the account in 。the evening paper。 Muller
read it through carefully； lingering over several points which
seemed to interest him particularly。 Then he turned to Miss Babette
Graumann。 〃And then what happened？〃 he asked。
〃Then the Police Commissioner came to Grunau and questioned my
nephew。 They had found out that Albert was Mr。 Siders' only friend
here。 And late that evening the Mayor and the Commissioner came
to our house with the revolver they had found in the room in G…；
and they … they … 〃 her voice trembled again； 〃they arrested my dear
boy and took him away。〃
〃Have you visited him in prison？ What does he say about it himself？〃
〃He seems quite hopeless。 He says that he is innocent … oh； I know
he is … but everything is against him。 He acknowledges that it was
he who was in Mr。 Siders' room the evening before the murder。 He
went there because Siders wrote him to come。 He says he left early；
and that John acted queerly。 He knows they will not believe his
story。 This worry and anxiety will kill him。 He has a serious heart
trouble； he has suffered from it for years； and it has been growing
steadily worse。 I dare not think what this excitement may do for
him。〃 Miss Graumann broke down again and sobbed aloud。 Muller laid
his hands soothingly on the little old fingers that gripped the arm
of the chair。
〃Did your nephew send you here to ask for help？〃 he inquired very
gently。
〃Oh； no〃 The old lady looked up at him through her tears。 〃No； he
would not have done that。 I'm afraid that he'll be angry if he
knows that I have come。 He seemed so hopeless； so dazed。 I just
couldn't stand it。 It seemed to me that the police in G… were
taking things for granted； and just sitting there waiting for an
innocent man to confess； instead of looking for the real murderer；
who may be gone； the Lord knows where； by now！〃 Miss Graumann's
faded cheeks flushed a delicate pink； and she straightened up in
her chair again； while her eyes snapped defiance through the tears
that hung on their lashes。
A faint gleam twinkled up in Muller's eyes； and he did not look at
his chief。 Doctor von Riedau's own face glowed in a slowly mounting
flush； and his eyes drooped in a moment of conscious embarrassment
at some recollection； the sting of which was evidently made worse
by Muller's presence。 But Commissioner von Riedau had brains enough
to acknowledge his mistakes and to learn from them。 He looked across
the desk at Miss Graumann。 〃You are right； Madam； the police have
made that mistake more than once。 And a man with a clear record
deserves the benefit of the doubt。 We will take up this case。
Detective Muller will be put in charge of it。 And that means； Madam；
that we are giving you the very best assistance the Imperial Police
Force affords。〃
Miss Babette Graumann did not attempt to speak。 In a wave of
emotion she stretched out both little hands to the detective and
clasped his warmly。 〃Oh； thank you；〃 she said at last。 〃I thank
you。 He's just like my own boy to me； he's all the child I ever
had； you know。〃
〃But there are difficulties in the way；〃 continued the commissioner
in a business…like tone。 〃The local authorities in G… have not
asked for our assistance； and we are taking up the case over their
heads； as it were。 I shall have to leave that to Muller's diplomacy。
He will come to G… and have an interview with your nephew。 Then he
will have to use his own judgment as to the next steps； and as to
how far he may go in opposition to what has been done by the police
there。〃
〃And then I may go back home？〃 asked Miss Graumann。 〃Go home with
the assurance that you will help my poor boy？〃
〃Yes； you may depend on us； Madam。 Is there anything we can do for
you here？ Are you alone in the city？〃
〃No； thank you。 There is a friend here who will take care of me。
She will put me on the afternoon express back to G…。〃
〃It is very likely that I will take that train myself；〃 said Muller。
〃If there is anything that you need on the journey； call on me。〃
〃Oh； thank you； I will indeed！ Thank you both； gentlemen。 And now
good…bye； and God bless you！〃
The commissioner bowed and Muller held the door open for Miss
Graumann to pass out。 There was silence in the room； as the two men
looked after the quaint little figure slowly descending the stairs。
〃A brave little woman；〃 murmured the commissioner。
〃It is not only the mother in the flesh who knows what a mother's
love is；〃 added Muller。
Next morning Joseph Muller stood in the cell of the prison in G…
confronting Albert Graumann； accused of the murder of John Siders。
The detective had just come from a rather difficult interview with
Commissioner Lange。 But the latter； though not a brilliant man； was
at least good…natured。 He acknowledged the right of the accused and
his family to ask for outside assistance； and agreed with Muller
that it was better to have some one in the official service brought
in； rather than a private detective whose work； in its eventual
results； might bring shame on the police。 Muller explained that
Miss Graumann did not want her nephew to know that it was she who
had asked for aid in his behalf； and that it could only redound to
his； Lange's； credit if it were understood that he had sent to
Vienna for expert assistance in this case。 It would be a proof of
his conscientious attention to duty； and would insure praise for
him； whichever way the case turned out。 Commissioner Lange saw the
force of this argument； and finally gave Muller permission to handle
the case as he thought best； rather relieved than otherwise for his
own part。 The detective's next errand was to the prison； where he
now stood looking up into the deep…set； dark eyes of a tall；
broad…shouldered； black…bearded man； who had arisen from the cot at
his entrance。 Albert Graumann had a strong； self…reliant face and
bearing。 His natural