g it did
happen that I saw him at Ronacher's. He was there with a lady--that is,
a so-called 'lady '-and it must have been one of the times that he had
money, for they were enjoying an expensive supper. At other times, some
of the other clerks met him at various resorts, always with the same
sort of woman. But not always with the same woman, for they were
different in appearance."

"He was never seen anywhere with other men?"

"No, sir; at least not by any of us."

"He was not liked in the office?"

"No." Bormann's answer was sharp.

"For what reason?"

"I don't know; we just didn't like him. We had very little to do with
him at first because of this, and soon we noticed that he seemed just as
anxious to avoid us as we were to avoid him."

The commissioner rose and Bormann followed his example. "I am very
sorry, sir, if I have taken up your time to no purpose," said the latter
modestly, as he took up his hat.

"I am not so sure that what you have said may not be of great value to
us," said a voice behind them. Muller stood there, looking at Riedau
with a glance almost of defiance. His eyes were again lit up with
the strange fire that shone in them when he was on the trail. The
commissioner shrugged his shoulders, bowed to the departing visitor, and
then turned without an answer to some documents on his desk. There was
silence in the room for a few moments. Finally a gentle voice came from
Muller's corner again: "Dr. von Riedau?"

The commissioner raised his head and looked around. "Oh, are you still
there?" he asked with a drawl.

Muller knew what this drawl meant. It was the manner adopted by the
amiable commissioner when he was in a mood which was not amiable. And
Muller knew also the cause of the mood. It was his own last remark, the
words he addressed to Bormann. Muller himself recognised the fact
that this remark was out of place, that it was almost an impertinence,
because it was in direct contradiction to a statement made a few moments
before by his superior officer. Also he realised that his remark had
been quite unnecessary, because it was a matter of indifference to the
young man, who was only obeying his employer's orders in reporting what
he had seen, whether his report was of value or not. Muller had simply
uttered aloud the thought that came into his mind, a habit of his which
years of official training had not yet succeeded in breaking. It was
annoying to himself sometimes, for these half-for