ed
the figure of a French soldier with a marked target on the breast. The
detective pinned the paper on the back of the chair in which Professor
Fellner had been seated when he met his death.

"But the key was in the hole," objected Bauer suddenly.

"Yes, but it was turned so that the lower part of the hole was free.
Johann saw the light streaming through and could look into the room.
If the murderer put the barrel of his pistol to this open part of the
keyhole, the bullet would have to strike exactly where the dead man sat.
There would be no need to take any particular aim." Muller gazed into
space like a seer before whose mental eye a vision has arisen, and
continued in level tones: "Fellner had refused the duel and the murderer
was crazed by his desire for revenge. He came here to the house, he must
have known just how to enter the place, how to reach the rooms, and he
must have known also, that the Professor, coward as he was--"

"Coward? Is a man a coward when he refuses to stand up to a maniac?"
interrupted Bauer.

Muller came back to the present with a start and said calmly, "Fellner
was a coward."

"Then you know more than you are telling me now?"

Muller nodded. "Yes, I do," he answered with a smile. "But I will tell
you more only when I have all the proofs in my own hand."

"And the criminal will escape us in the meantime."

"He has no idea that he is suspected."

"But--you'll promise to be sensible this time, Muller?"

"Yes. But you will pardon me my present reticence, even towards you?
I--I don't want to be thought a dreamer again."

"As in the Kniepp case?"

"As in the Kniepp case," repeated the little man with a strange smile.
"So please allow me to go about it in my own way. I will tell you all
you want to know to-morrow."

"To-morrow, then."

"May I now continue to unfold my theories?" Bauer nodded and Muller
continued: "The criminal wanted Fellner's blood, no matter how."

"Even if it meant murder," said Bauer.

Muller nodded calmly. "It would have been nobler, perhaps, to have
warned his victim of his approach, but it might have all come to nothing
then. The other could have called for help, could have barricaded
himself in his room, one crime might have been prevented, and another,
more shameful one, would have gone unavenged."

"Another crime? Fellner a criminal?"

"To-morrow you shall know everything, my kind friend. And now, let us
make the trial. Please lock the door behind