n 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 f