wife was ill, and that she was grieving over the loss of her
wedding ring which had somehow disappeared. The new ring could be found
somewhere as if by chance and the sick woman's anxiety would be over.
Two days later, as arranged, the same gentleman appeared again and I
handed him the two rings.

"He left the shop, greatly satisfied with my work and apparently much
relieved in his mind. But he left me uneasy in spirit because I had
deceived him. It had not been possible for me to reproduce exactly the
composition of the original ring, and as I believed that the work was to
be done in order to comfort an invalid, and I was getting no profit,
but on the contrary a little extra work out of it, I made two new rings,
lettered them according to the original and gave them to my customer.
The original ring I am now, on this seventh day of December, giving to
Mr. Joseph Mullet, who has shown me his legitimation as a member of
the Secret Police. I am willing to put myself at the service of the
authorities if I am called for."

"You are willing to do this, aren't you?" asked Muller when the
goldsmith had arrived at the end of the notice.

"Of course."

"Have you anything to add to this?"

"No, it is quite complete. I will sign it at once."

Several hours later, Muller re-entered the police station in his home
town and saw the windows of the chief's apartment brilliantly lighted.
"What's going on," he asked of Baner's servant who was just hurrying up
the stairs.

"The mistress' birthday, we've got company."

Muller grumbled something and went on up to his own room. He knew it
would not be pleasant for his patron to be disturbed in the midst of
entertaining his guests, but the matter was important and could not
wait.

The detective laid off his outer garments, made a few changes in his
toilet and putting the goldsmith's declaration, with the ring and
the bullet in his pocketbook, he went down to the first floor of the
building, in one wing of which was the apartment occupied by the Chief.
He sent in his name and was told to wait in the little study. He sat
down quietly in a corner of the comfortable little room beyond which,
in a handsomely furnished smoking room, a number of guests sat playing
cards. From the drawing rooms beyond, there was the sound of music and
many voices.

It was all very attractive and comfortable, and the solitary man sat
there enjoying once more the pleasant sensation of triumph, of joy at
the