ou. Who do you think they say
set fire to the stables?"

Klutz looked as though he would faint.

"They say Lohm did it himself," said Dellwig in a low voice, his eyes
fixed on the young man's face.

Klutz's ears burnt suddenly bright red. He looked down, looked up,
looked over his shoulder in the direction from whence the train would
come. Small cold beads of agitation stood out on his narrow forehead.

"The point is," said Dellwig, who had not missed a movement of that
twitching face, "that you must have been with Lohm nearly till the time
when--you went straight to him after leaving us?"

Klutz bowed his head.

"Then you couldn't have left him long before it broke out. I met him
myself between the stables and his gate five minutes, two minutes,
before the fire. He went past without a word, in a great hurry, as
though he hoped I had not recognised him. Now tell me what you know
about it. Just tell me if you saw anything. It is to both our interests
to cut his claws."

Klutz pressed his hands together, and looked round again for the train.

"Do you know what will certainly happen if you try to be generous and
shield him? He'll say _you_ did it, and so get rid of you and hush up
the affair with Miss Estcourt. I can see by your face you know who did
it. Everyone is saying it is Lohm."

"But why? Why should he? Why should he burn his own----" stammered
Klutz, in dreadful agitation.

"Why? Because they were in ruins, and well insured. Because he had no
money for new ones; and because now the insurance company will give him
the money. The thing is so plain--I am so convinced that he did it----"

They heard the train coming. Klutz stooped down quickly and clutched his
bag. "No, no," said Dellwig, catching his arm and gripping it tight, "I
shall not let you go till you say what you know. You or Lohm to be
punished--which do you prefer?"

Klutz gave Dellwig a despairing, hunted look. "He--he----" he began,
struggling to get the words over his dry lips.

"He did it? You know it? You saw it?"

"Yes, yes, I saw it--I saw him----"

Klutz burst into a wild fit of sobbing.

"_Armer Junge_," cried Dellwig very loud, patting his back very hard.
"It is indeed terrible--one's father so ill--on his death-bed--and such
a long journey of suspense before you----"

And sympathising at the top of his voice he looked for an empty
compartment, hustled him into it, pushing him up the high steps and
throwing his bag in after