ending sob.
Deep pity moved the detective's breast. He led Knoll back to his cot,
and put both hands on his shoulders, saying gravely: "I believe that
this theft was the worst thing you have done. By my mother's salvation,
Knoll, I believe your words and I will try to help you."

Knoll raised his head, looking up at Muller with a glance of unspeakable
gratitude. With trembling lips he kissed the hand which a moment before
had pressed kindly on his shoulder, clinging fast to it as if he could
not bear to let it go. Muller was almost embarrassed. "Oh, come now,
Knoll, don't be foolish. Pull yourself together and answer my questions
carefully, for I am asking you these questions more for your own sake
than for anything else."

The tramp nodded and wiped the tears from his face. He looked almost
happy again, and there was a softness in his eyes that showed there was
something in the man which might be saved and which was worth saving.

Muller sat beside him on the cot and began: "There was one mistake in
your story yesterday. I want you to think it over carefully. You said
that you saw first a woman and then a man going through the neighbouring
garden. I believe that one or both of these people is the criminal
for whom we are looking. Therefore, I want you to try and remember
everything that you can connect with them, every slightest detail.
Anything that you can tell us may be of the greatest importance.
Therefore, think very carefully."

Knoll sat still a few moments, evidently trying hard to put his hazy
recollections into useful form and shape. But it was also evident that
orderly thinking was an unusual work for him, and he found it almost too
difficult. "I guess you 'better ask me questions, maybe that'll go," he
said after a pause.

Then Muller began to question. With his usual thoroughness he began at
the very beginning: "When was it that you climbed the fence to get into
the shed?"

"It just struck nine o'clock when I put my foot on the lowest bar."

"Are you sure of that?"

"Quite sure. I counted every stroke. You see, I wanted to know how long
the night was going to be, seein' I'd have to sleep in that shed. I was
in the garden just exactly an hour. I came out of the shed as it struck
ten and it wasn't but a few minutes before I was in the street again."

"And when was it that you saw the woman in the garden next door?"

"H'm, I don't just know when that was. I'd been in on the bench quite a
while."