ective. Varna
answered with a low soft voice, "Oh, I like it very much, sir." As he
spoke he looked up at Gyuri, whose eyes still bore their commanding
expression.

"They treat you kindly here?"

"Oh, yes."

"The doctor is very good to you?"

"Ah, the doctor is so good!" Varna's dull eyes brightened.

"And the others are good to you also?"

"Oh, yes." The momentary gleam in the sad had vanished again.

"Where did you get this red scar?"

The patient became uneasy, he moved anxiously on his chair and looked up
at Gyuri. It was evident that he realised there would be more red marks
if he told the truth to this stranger.

Muller did not insist upon an answer. "You are uneasy and nervous
sometimes, aren't you?"

"Yes, sir, I have been--nervous--lately."

"And they don't let you go out at such times?"

"Why, I--no, I may not go out at such times."

"But the doctor takes you with him sometimes--the doctor or Gyuri?"
asked the detective.

"Yes."

"I haven't had him out with me for weeks," interrupted the attendant.
He seemed particularly anxious to have the "for weeks" clearly heard by
this inconvenient questioner.

Muller dropped this subject and took up another. "They tell me you are
very fond of children, and I can see that you are making toys for them
here."

"Yes, I love children, and I am so glad they are not afraid of me."
These words were spoken with more warmth and greater interest than
anything the man had yet said.

"And they tell me that you take gifts with you for the children every
time you go down to the village. This is pretty work here, and it must
be a pleasant diversion for you." Muller had taken up a dainty little
spinning-wheel which was almost completed. "Isn't it made from the wood
of a red yew tree?"

"Yes, the doctor gave me a whole tree that had been cut down in the
park."

"And that gave you wood for a long time?"

"Yes, indeed; I have been making toys from it for months." Varna had
become quite eager and interested as he handed his visitor a number of
pretty trifles. The two had risen from their chairs and were leaning
over the wide window seat which served as a store-house for the wares
turned out by the busy workman. They were toys, mostly, all sorts
of little pots and plates, dolls' furniture, balls of various sizes,
miniature bowling pins, and tops. Muller took up one of the latter.

"How very clever you are, and how industrious," he exclaimed, sitting
down again