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〃No； he had a comfortable little income and need have no fear for
the future。 John was； of course； too young a man to settle down
and do nothing。 But the only definite plans he had made were that
we should travel a little at first； and then he would look about
him for a congenial occupation。 I always thought it likely he
would resume a law practice somewhere。 I cannot understand in the
slightest what the plans are to which the letter referred。〃
〃And do you think； from what you know of his state of mind when
you saw him last； that he would be likely so soon to be planning
pleasures like this？〃
〃No； no indeed！ John was terribly crushed when my guardian insisted
on breaking off our engagement。 Until my twenty…fourth birthday I
am still bound to do as my guardian says； you know。 John's life and
early misfortune made him； as I have already said； morbidly sensitive
and the thought that it would be a bar to anything we might plan in
the future； had rendered him so depressed that … and it was not the
least of my anxieties and my troubles … that I feared 。。。 I feared
anything might happen。〃
〃You feared he might take his own life； do you mean？〃
〃Yes； yes； that is what I feared。 But is it not terrible to think
that he should have died this way … by the hand of a murderer？〃
〃H'm！ And you cannot remember any possible friend he may have
found … some schoolboy friend of his youth； perhaps； with whom he
had again struck up an acquaintance。〃
〃Oh； no； no； I am positive of that。 John could not bear to hear
the names even of the people he had known before his misfortune。
Still； I do remember his once having spoken of a man； a German he
had met in Chicago and rather taken a fancy to； and who had also
returned to Germany。〃
〃Could this possibly have been the man to whom the letter is
addressed？〃
〃No； no。 This friend of John's was not married； I remember his
saying that。 And he lived in Germany somewhere … let me think … yes；
in Frankfort…on…Main。〃
〃And do you remember the man's name？〃
〃No； I cannot； I am sorry to say。 John only mentioned it once。 It
was only by a great effort that I could remember the incident at all。〃
〃And has it not struck you as rather peculiar that this friend； the
one to whom the cordial letter was addressed； did not come forward
and make his identity known？ G… is a city； it is true； but it is
not a very large city； and any man being on terms of intimate
acquaintance with one who was murdered would be apt to come forward
in the hope of throwing some light on the mystery。〃
〃Why； yes； I had not thought of that。 It is peculiar； is it not？
But some people are so foolishly afraid of having anything to do
with the police； you know。〃
〃That is very true； Miss Roemer。 Still it is a queer incident and
something that I must look into。〃
〃What do you believe？〃 asked the girl tensely。
〃I am not in a position to say as yet。 When I am； I will come to
you and tell you。〃
〃Then you do not think that my guardian killed John … that there
was a quarrel between the men？〃
〃There is； of course； a possibility that it may have been so。 You
know your guardian better than I do； naturally。 Our knowledge of
a man's character is often a far better guide than any circumstantial
evidence。〃
〃My guardian is a man of the greatest uprightness of character。 But
he can be very hard and pitiless sometimes。 And he has a violent
temper which his weak heart has forced him to keep in control of
late years。〃
〃All this speaks for the possibility that there may have been a
quarrel ending in the fatal shot。 But what I want to know from
you is this … do you think it possible； that； this having happened；
Albert Graumann would not have been the first to confess his
unpremeditated crime？ Is not this the most likely thing for a man
of his character to do？ Would he so stubbornly deny it； if it had
happened？〃
The girl started。 〃I had not thought of that！ Why； why； of course；
he might have killed John in a moment of temper； but he was never
a man to conceal a fault。 He is as pitiless towards his own
weakness； as towards that of others。 You are right； oh； you must
be right。 Oh； if you could take this awful fear from my heart！
Even my grief for John would be easier to bear then。〃
Muller rose from his chair。 〃I think I can promise you that this
load will be lifted from your heart； Miss Roemer。〃
〃Then you believe … that it was just a case of murder for robbery？
For the money？ And John had some valuable jewelry； I know that。〃
〃I do not know yet；〃 replied Muller slowly； 〃but I will find out；
I generally do。〃
〃Oh； to think that I should have done that poor man such an
injustice！ It is terrible； terrible！ This house has been ghastly
these days。 His poor aunt knows that he is innocent … she could
never believe otherwise … she has felt the hideous suspicion in my
mind … it has made her suffering worse … will they ever forgive me？〃
〃Her joy； if I can free her nephew； will make her forget everything。
Go to her now； Miss Roemer； comfort her with the assurance that you
also believe him to be innocent。 I must hasten back to G… and go
on with this quest。〃
The girl stood at the doorway shaded by the overhanging branches of
two great trees； looking down the street after the slight figure of
the detective。 〃Oh； it is all easier to hear； hard as it is； easier
now that this horrible suspicion has gone from my mind … why did I
not think of that before？〃
Alone in the corner of the smoking compartment in the train to G…；
Muller arranged in his mind the facts he had already gathered。 He
had questioned the servants of John Siders' former household； had
found that the dead man received very few letters； only an
occasional business communication from his bank。 Of the few others；
the servants knew nothing except that he had always thrown the
envelopes carelessly in the waste paper basket and had never seemed
to have any correspondence which he cared to conceal。 No friend
from elsewhere bad ever visited him in Grunau； and he had made few
friends there except the Graumann family。
The facts of the case； as he knew them now； were such as to make it
extremely doubtful that Graumann was the murderer。 Muller himself
had been inclined to believe in the possibility of a quarrel
between the two men； particularly when he had heard that Graumann
himself was in love with his handsome ward。 But the second thought
that came to him then； impelled by the unerring instinct that so
often guided him to the truth； was the assurance that in a case of
this kind； in a case of a quarrel terminating fatally； a man like
Albert Graumann would be the very first to give himself up to the
police and to tell the facts of the case。 Albert Graumann was a
man of honour and unimpeachable integrity。 Such a man would not
persist in a foolish denial of the deed which he had committed in
a moment of temper。 There would be nothing to gain from it； and
his own conscience would be his severest judge。 〃The disorder in
the room？〃 thought Muller。 〃It'll be too late for that now。 I
suppose they have rearranged the place。 I can only go by w