nd gown were of excellent
material in delicate soft colours, but cut in the style of an earlier
decade. The capable lines of her thin little hands showed through the
fabric of her grey gloves. Her whole attitude bore the impress of one
who had adventured far beyond the customary routine of her home circle,
adventured out into the world in fear and trembling, impelled by the
stress of a great love.

A knock was heard at the door, and a small, slight man, with a kind,
smooth-shaven face, entered at the commissioner's call. "You sent for
me, sir?" he asked.

"Yes, Muller, there is a matter here in which I need your advice, your
assistance, perhaps. This is Detective Muller, Miss--" (the commissioner
picked up the card on his desk) "Miss Graumann. If you will tell us now,
more in detail, all that you can tell us about this case, we may be able
to help you."

"Oh, if you would," murmured Miss Graumann, with something more of hope
in her voice. The expression of sympathetic interest on the face of
the newcomer had already won her confidence for him. Her slight figure
straightened up in the chair, and the two men sat down opposite her,
prepared to listen to her story.

"I will tell you all I know and understand about this matter,
gentlemen," she began. "My name is Babette Graumann, and I live with my
nephew, Albert Graumann, engineering expert, in the village of Grunau,
which is not far from the city of G--. My nephew Albert, the dearest,
truest--" sobs threatened to overcome her again, but she mastered them
bravely. "Albert is now in prison, accused of the murder of his friend,
John Siders, in the latter's lodgings in G--."

"Yes, that is the gist of what you have already told me," said the
commissioner. "Muller, Miss Graumann believes her nephew innocent,
contrary to the opinion of the local authorities in G--. She has come
to ask for some one from here who could ferret out the truth of this
matter. You are free now, and if we find that it can be done without
offending the local authorities--"

"Who is the commissioner in charge of the case in G--?" asked Muller.

"Commissioner Lange is his name, I believe," replied Miss Graumann.

"H'm!" Muller and the commissioner exchanged glances.

"I think we can venture to hear more of this," said the commissioner,
as if in answer to their unspoken thought. "Can you give us the details
now, Madam? Who is, or rather who was, this John Siders?"

"John Siders came to our villa