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eyes fell upon a little man who sat in the corner reading a
newspaper。 〃Hello； Muller； you there？ Suppose I take you with me？
You aren't doing anything now； are you？〃
〃No； sir。
〃Well； come with me； then。 If this should turn out to be anything
serious； we may need you。〃
The three men entered one of the cabs waiting outside the police
station。 As they rattled through the streets； Commissioner Horn
continued his examination of the； valet。 〃When did you see your
master last？〃
〃About eleven o'clock last evening。〃
〃Did you speak with him then？
〃No； I looked through the keyhole。〃
〃Oh； indeed； is that a habit of yours？〃
Dummel blushed deeply； but his eyes flashed； and he looked angry。
〃No； it is not； sir；〃 he growled。 〃I only did it this time because
I was anxious about the master。 He's been so worked up and nervous
the last few days。 Last night I went to the theatre； as I always
do Saturday evenings。 When I returned； about half…past ten it was；
I knocked at the door of his bedroom。 He didn't answer； and I
walked away softly； so as not to disturb him in case he'd gone to
sleep already。 The hall was dark； and as I went through it I saw
a ray of light coming from the keyhole of the Professor's study。
That surprised me； because he never worked as late as that before。
I thought it over a moment； then I crept up and looked through
the keyhole。〃
〃And what did you see？〃
〃He sat at his desk； quite quiet。 So I felt easy again； and went
off to bed。〃
〃Why didn't you go into the room？〃
〃I didn't dare； sir。 The Professor never wanted to be disturbed
when he was writing。〃
〃Well； and this morning？〃
〃I got up at the usual time this morning； set the breakfast table；
and then knocked at the Professor's bedroom door to waken him。 He
didn't answer； and I thought he might want to sleep； seeing as it
was Sunday； and he was up late last night。 So I waited until ten
o'clock。 Then I knocked again and tried the door； but it was locked。
That made me uneasy； because he never locked his bedroom door before。
I banged at the door and called out； but there wasn't a sound。 Then
I ran to the police station。〃
Horn was evidently as alarmed as was the young valet。 But Muller's
cheeks were flushed and a flash of secret joy； of pleasurable
expectation； brightened his deep…set； grey eyes。 He sat quite
motionless； but every nerve in his body was alive and tingling。 The
humble…looking little man had become quite another and a decidedly
interesting person。 He laid his thin； nervous hand on the carriage
door。
〃We are not there yet；〃 said the commissioner。
〃No； but it's the third house from here；〃 replied Muller。
〃You know where everybody lives； don't you？〃 smiled Horn。
〃Nearly everybody；〃 answered Muller gently； as the cab stopped
before an attractive little villa surrounded by its own garden；
as were most of the houses in this quiet； aristocratic part of
the town。
The house was two stories high； but the upper windows were closed
and tightly curtained。 This upper story was the apartment occupied
by the owner of the house； who was now in Italy with his invalid
wife。 Otherwise the dainty little villa； built in the fashionable
Nuremberg style； with heavy wooden doors and lozenged…paned windows；
had no occupants except Professor Fellner and his servant。 With
its graceful outlines and well…planned garden； the dwelling had a
most attractive appearance。 Opposite it was the broad avenue known
as the Promenade； and beyond this were open fields。 To the right
and to the left were similar villas in their gardens。
Dummel opened the door and the three men entered the house。 The
commissioner and the valet went in first； Muller following them more
slowly。 His sharp eyes glanced quickly over the coloured tiles of
the flooring； over the white steps and the carpeted hallway beyond。
Once he bent quickly and picked up something； then he walked on with
his usual quiet manner； out of which every trace of excitement had
now vanished。
The dull winter sun seemed only to make the gloom of the dark
vestibule more visible。 Johann turned up the light； and Horn； who
had visited the Professor several times and knew the situation of
the rooms； went at once to the heavy； carved and iron trimmed door
of the study。 He attempted to open the door； but it resisted all
pressure。 The heavy key was in the inner side of the big lock with
its medieval iron ornamentation。 But the key was turned so that
the lower part of the lock was free； a round opening of unusual size。
Horn made sure of this by holding a lighted match to the door。
〃You are right；〃 he said to the valet； 〃the door is locked from the
inside。 We'll have to go through the bedroom。 Johann； bring me a
chisel or a hatchet。 Muller； you stay here and open the door when
the doctor comes。〃
Muller nodded。 Johann disappeared； returning in a few moments with
a small hatchet； and followed the commissioner through the
dining…room。 It was an attractive apartment with its high wooden
paneling and its dainty breakfast table。 But a slight shiver ran
through the commissioner's frame as he realised that some misfortune；
some crime even might be waiting for them on the other side of the
closed door。 The bedroom door also was locked on the inside； and
after some moments of knocking and calling； Horn set the hatchet to
the framework just as the bell of the house…door pealed out。
With a cracking and tearing of wood the bedroom door fell open； and
in the same moment Muller and the physician passed through the
dining…room。 Johann hurried into the bedroom to open the
window…shutters； and the others gathered in the doorway。 A single
look showed each of the men that the bed was untouched； and they
passed on through the room。 The door from the bedroom to the study
stood open。 In the latter room the shutters were tightly closed；
and the lamp had long since gone out。 But sufficient light fell
through the open bedroom door for the men to see the figure of the
Professor seated at his desk； and when Johann had opened the
shutters； it was plain to all that the silent figure before them
was that of a corpse。
〃Heart disease； probably；〃 murmured the physician； as he touched
the icy forehead。 Then he felt the pulse of the stiffened hand
from which the pen had fallen in the moment of death； raised the
drooping head and lifted up the half…closed eyelids。 The eyes
were glazed。
The others looked on in silence。 Horn was very pale； and his
usually calm face showed great emotion。 Johann seemed quite beside
himself； the tears rolled down his cheeks unhindered。 Muller stood
without a sign of life； his sallow face seemed made of bronze； he
was watching and listening。 He seemed to hear and see what no one
else could see or hear。 He smiled slightly when the doctor spoke
of 〃heart disease；〃 and his eyes fell on the revolver that lay near
the dead man's hand on the desk。 Then he shook his head； and then
he started suddenly。 Horn noticed the movement； it was in the moment
when the physician raised up the sunken figure that had fallen half
over the desk。
〃He was killed by a bullet；〃 sai