king rooms in a hotel or lodging house must
be registered with the police authorities by the proprietor
of the house within forty-eight hours of arrival.

"Were you not afraid you would get into trouble?"

"The gentleman paid me well, and I did not think that he meant anything
bad, and--and--"

"And you did not think that it would be found out?" said Muller sternly.

"I took good care of the lady."

"Yes, we know that."

"Did she escape from her husband?"

"He was not her husband. But now tell me all you know about these
people; the more truthful you are the better it will be for you."

The old woman was so frightened that she could scarcely find strength to
talk. When she finally got control of herself again she began: "He came
here on the first of November and rented this room for himself. But he
was here only twice before he brought the lady and left her alone here.
She was very ill when he brought her here--so ill that he had to carry
her upstairs. I wanted to go for a doctor, but he said he was a doctor
himself, and that he could take care of his wife, who often had such
attacks. He gave me some medicine for her after I had put her to bed. I
gave her the drops, but it was a long while before she came to herself
again.

"Then he told me that she had lost her mind, and that she believed
everybody was trying to harm her. She was so bad that he was taking her
to an asylum. But he hadn't found quite the right place yet, and wanted
me to keep her here until he knew where he could take her. Once he left
a revolver here by mistake. But I hid it so the lady wouldn't see it,
and gave it to the gentleman the next time he came. He was angry at
that, though I couldn't see why, and said I shouldn't have touched it."

The woman had told her story with much hesitation, and stopped
altogether at this point. She had evidently suddenly realised that the
lady was not insane, but only in great despair, and that people in
such a state will often seek death, particularly if any weapon is left
conveniently within their reach.

"What did this gentleman look like?" asked Muller, to start her talking
again. She described her tenant as very tall and stout with a long
beard slightly mixed with grey. She had never seen his eyes, for he wore
smoked glasses.

"Did you notice anything peculiar about his face?"

"No, nothing except that his beard was ver heavy and almost covered his
face."

"Could you see his cheeks at