many a brilliant service to the cause of
justice, he has discovered the guilt, or the innocence, of many in cases
where the official department was as blind as Justice is proverbially
supposed to be. Joseph Muller has become the idol of all who are engaged
in this weary business of hunting down wrong and punishing crime. He
is without a peer in his profession. But he has also become the idol of
some of the criminals. For if he discovers (as sometimes happens) that
the criminal is a good sort after all, he is just as likely to warn his
prey, once he has all proofs of the guilt and a conviction is certain.
Possibly this is his way of taking the sting from his irresistible
impulse to ferret out hidden mysteries. But it is rather inconvenient,
and he has hurt himself by it--hurt himself badly. They were tired of
his peculiarities at the capital, and wanted to make his years an excuse
to discharge him. I happened to get wind of it, and it was my weakness
for him that saved him."

"Yes, you brought him here when they transferred you to this town, I
remember now."

"I'm afraid it wasn't such a good thing for him, after all. Nothing
ever happens here, and a gift like Muller's needs occupation to keep
it fresh. I'm afraid his talents will dull and wither here. The man has
grown perceptibly older in this inaction. His mind is like a high-bred
horse that needs exercise to keep it in good condition."

"He hasn't grown rich at his work, either," said Horn.

"No, there's not much chance for a police detective to get rich. I've
often wondered why Muller never had the energy to set up in business for
himself. He might have won fame and fortune as a private detective. But
he's gone on plodding along as a police subordinate, and letting the
department get all the credit for his most brilliant achievements. It's
a sort of incorrigible humbleness of nature--and then, you know, he had
the misfortune to be unjustly sentenced to a term in prison in his early
youth."

"No, I did not know that."

"The stigma stuck to his name, and finally drove him to take up this
work. I don't think Muller realised, when he began, just how greatly
he is gifted. I don't know that he really knows now. He seems to do it
because he likes it--he's a queer sort of man."

While the commissioners drove through the streets to the police station
the man of whom they were speaking sat in Johann's little room in close
consultation with the valet.

"How long is i