the lamp that went out-第16部分

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and　his　thoughts　to　the　woman。　　What　he　had　been　able　to　learn
about　her　had　increased　his　suspicions　and　her　involuntary
exclamation　when　she　met　him　face　to　face　in　the　house　had　proved
beyond　a　doubt　that　there　was　something　on　her　mind。　　His　open
accusation；　her　demeanour；　and　finally　her　swoon；　were　all　links　in
the　chain　of　evidence　that　this　woman　knew　something　about　the
murder　in　the　quiet　lane。

With　this　suspicion　in　his　mind　what　Muller　had　learned　from　Knoll
was　of　great　value　to　him；　at　all　events　of　great　interest。　　Was
it　the　housekeeper　who　had　put　out　the　light？　　For　now　Muller　did
not　doubt　for　a　moment　that　this　sudden　extinguishing　of　the　lamp
was　a　signal。　　He　believed　that　Knoll　had　seen　clearly　and　that　he
had　told　truly　what　he　had　seen。　　A　lamp　that　is　blown　out　by　the
wind　flickers　uneasily　before　going　out。　　A　sudden　extinguishing　of
the　light　means　human　agency。　　And　the　lamp　was　lit　again　a　few
moments　afterward　and　burned　on　steadily　as　before。　　A　short　time
after　the　lamp　had　been　put　out　the　man　had　been　seen　going　through
the　garden。　　And　it　could　not　have　been　much　later　before　the　shot
was　heard。　　This　shot　had　been　fired　between　the　hours　of　nine　and
ten；　for　it　was　during　this　hour　only　that　Knoll　was　in　the　garden
house　and　heard　the　shot。　　But　it　was　not　necessary　to　depend　upon
the　tramp's　evidence　alone　to　determine　the　exact　hour　of　the　shot。
It　must　have　been　before　half　past　nine；　or　otherwise　the　janitor
of　No。1；　who　came　home　at　that　hour　and　lay　awake　so　long；　would
undoubtedly　have　heard　a　shot　fired　so　near　his　domicile；　in　spite
of　the　noise　occasioned　by　the　high　wind。　　There　would　have　been
sufficient　time　for　Mrs。　Bernauer　to　have　reached　the　place　of　the
murder　between　the　putting　out　of　the　lamp　and　the　firing　of　the
shot。　　But　perhaps　she　may　have　rested　quietly　in　her　room；　she
may　have　been　only　the　inciter　or　the　accomplice　of　the　deed。　　But
at　all　events；　she　knew　something　about　it；　she　was　in　some　way
connected　with　it。

Muller　drew　a　deep　breath。　　He　felt　much　easier　now　that　he　had
arranged　his　thoughts　and　marshalled　in　orderly　array　all　the　facts
he　had　already　gathered。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　now　but　to　follow
up　a　given　path　step　by　step　and　he　could　no　longer　reproach　himself
that　he　might　have　cast　suspicion　on　an　innocent　soul。　　No；　his
bearing　towards　Mrs。　Bernauer　had　not　been　sheer　brutality。　　His
instinct；　which　had　led　him　so　unerringly　so　many　times；　had　again
shown　him　the　right　way　when　he　had　thrust　the　accusation　in　her
face。

Now　that　his　mind　was　easier　he　realised　that　he　was　very　hungry。
He　drove　to　a　restaurant　and　ordered　a　hasty　meal。

〃Beer；　sir？'　asked　the　waiter　for　the　third　time。

〃No；〃　　answered　Muller；　also　for　the　third　time。

〃Then　you'll　take　wine；　sir？〃　　asked　the　insistent　Ganymede。

〃Oh；　go　to　the　devil！　　When　I　want　anything　I'll　ask　for　it；〃
growled　the　detective；　this　time　effectively　scaring　the　waiter。
It　did　not　often　happen　that　a　customer　refused　drinks；　but　then
there　were　not　many　customers　who　needed　as　clear；　a　head　as
Muller　knew　he　would　have　to　have　to…day。　　Always　a　light　drinker；
it　was　one　of　his　rules　never　to　touch　a　drop　of　liquor　during
this　first　stage　of　the　mental　working　out　of　any　new　problem
which　presented　itself。　　But　soft…hearted　as　he　was；　he　repented
of　his　irritation　a　moment　later　and　soothed　the　waiter's　wounded
feelings　by　a　rich　tip。　　The　boy　ran　out　to　open　the　cab　door　for
his　strange　customer　and　looked　after　him；　wondering　whether　the
man　was　a　cranky　millionaire　or　merely　a　poet。　　For　Joseph
Muller；　by　name　and　by　reputation　one　of　the　best　known　men　in
Vienna；　was　by　sight　unknown　to　all　except　the　few　with　whom　he
had　to　do　on　the　police　force。　　His　appearance；　in　every　way
inconspicuous；　and　the　fact　that　he　never　sought　acquaintance　with
any　one；　was　indeed　of　the　greatest　possible　assistance　to　him　in
his　work。　　Many　of　those　who　saw　him　several　times　in　a　day　would
pass　him　or　look　him　full　in　the　face　without　recognising　him。　　It
was　only；　as　in　the　case　of　Mrs。　Bernauer；　the　guilty　conscience
that　remembered　face　and　figure　of　this　quiet…looking　man　who　was
one　of　the　most…feared　servants　of　the　law　in　Austria。




CHAPTER　IX

THE　ELECTRICIAN


When　Muller　reached　the　house　where　Mrs。　Klingmayer　lived　he　ordered
the　cabman　to　wait　and　hurried　up　to　the　widow's　little　apartment。
He　had　the　key　to　Leopold　Winkler's　room　in　his　own　pocket；　for
Mrs。　Klingmayer　had　given　this　key　to　Commissioner　von　Riedau　at
the　latter's　request　and　the　commissioner　had　given　it　to　Muller。
The　detective　told　the　good　woman　not　to　bother　about　him　as　he
wanted　to　make　an　examination　of　the　place　alone。　　Left　to　himself
in　the　little　room；　Muller　made　a　thorough　search　of　it；　opening
the　cupboard；　the　bureau　drawers；　every　possible　receptacle　where
any　article　could　be　kept　or　hidden。　　What　he　wanted　to　find　was
some　letter；　some　bit　of　paper；　some　memoranda　perhaps；　anything
that　would　show　any　connection　existing　between　the　murdered　man
and　Mrs。　Bernauer；　who　lived　so　near　the　place　where　this　man　had
died　and　who　was　so　greatly　interested　in　his　murder。

The　detective's　search　was　not　quite　in　vain；　although　he　could　not
tell　yet　whether　what　he　had　found　would　be　of　any　value。　　Leopold
Winkler　had　had　very　little　correspondence；　or　else　he　had　had　no
reason　to　keep　the　letters　he　received。　　Muller　found　only　about　a
half　dozen　letters　in　all。　　Three　of　them　were　from　women　of　the
half…world；　giving　dates　for　meetings。　　Another　was　written　by　a
man　and　signed　〃Theo。〃　　This　〃Theo〃　　appeared　to　be　the　same　sort
of　a　cheap　rounder　that　Winkler　was。　　And　he　seemed　to　have　sunk
one　grade　deeper　than　the　dead　man；　in　spite　of　the　latter's　bad
reputation。　　For　this　other　addressed　Winkler　as　his　〃Dear　Friend〃
and　pleaded　with　him　for　〃greater　discretion；〃　　alluding　evidently
to　something　which　made　this　discretion　necessary。

〃I　wonder　what　rascality　it　was　that　made　these　two　friends？〃
murmured　Muller；　putting　〃Theo's　letter　with　the　three　he　had
already　read。　　But　before　he　slipped　it　in　his　pocket　he　glanced　at
the　postmark。　　The　letters　of　the　three　women　had　all　been　posted
from　different　quarters　of　the　city　some　months　ago。　　Theo's　letter
was　postmarked　〃Marburg；〃　　and　dated　on　the　1st　of　September　of
the　present　year。

Then　Muller　looked　at　the　postmark　of　the　two　remaining　letters
which　he　had　not　yet　read；　and　whistled　softly　to　himself。　　Both
these　letters　were　posted　from　a　certain　station　in　Hietzing；　the
station　which　was　nearest　his　own　lodgings　and　also　nearest　the
Thorne　house。　　He　looked　at　the　postmark　more　sharply。　　They　both
bore　the　dates　of　the　present　year；　one　of　them　being　stamped　〃March
17th；〃　　the　other　〃September　24th。〃　　This　last　letter　interested
the　detective　most。

Muller　was　not　of　a　nervous　disposition；　but　his　hand　trembled
slightly　as　he　took　the　letter　from　its　envelope。　　It　was　clear
that　this　letter　had　been　torn　open　hastily；　for　the　edges　of　the
opening　were　jagged　and　uneven。

When　the　detective　had　read　the　letter　…　it　contained　but　a　few
lines　and　bore　neither　address　nor　signature　…　he　glanced　over
it　once　more　as　if　to　memorise　the　words。　　They　were　as　follows：
〃Do　not　come　again。　　In　a　day　or　two　I　will　be　able　to　do　what　I
have　to　do。　　I　will　send　you　later　news　to　your　office。　　Impatience
will　not　help　you。〃　…　These　words　were　written　hastily　on　a　piece
of　paper　that　looked　as　if　it　had　been　torn　from　a　pad。　　In　spite
of　the　haste　the　writer　had　been　at　some　pains　to　disguise　the
handwriting。　　But　it　was　a　clumsy　disguise；　done　by　one　not
accustomed　to　such　tricks；　and　it　was　evidently　done　by　a　woman。
All　she　had　known　how　to　do　to　disguise　her　writing　had　been　to
twist　and　turn　the　paper　while　writing；　so　that　every　letter　had
a　different　position。　　The　letters　were　also　made　unusually　long。
This　peculiarity　of　the　writing　was　seen　on　both　letters　and　both
envelopes。　　The　earlier　letter　was　still　shorter　and　seemed　to　have
been　written　with　the　same　haste；　and　with　the　same　disgust；　or
perhaps　even　hatred；　for　the　man　to　whom　it　was　written。

〃Come　to…morrow；　but　not　before　eight　o'clock。　　He　has　gone　away。
God　forgive　him　and　you。〃　　This　was　the　contents　of　the　letter　of
the　17th　of　March。　　That　is；　the　writer　had　penned　the　letter　this
way。　　But　the　last　two　words；　〃and　you；〃　　had　evidently　not　come
from　her　heart；　for　she　had　annulled　them　by　a　heavy　stroke　of　the
pen。　　A　stroke　that　seemed　like　a　knife　thrust；　so　full　of　rage
and　hate　it　was。

〃So　he　was　called　to　a　rendezvous　in　Hietzing；　too；〃　　murmured
Muller；　then　he　added　after　a　few　moments：　〃But　this　rendezvous　had
nothing　whatever　to　do　with　love。〃

There　was　nothing　else　in　Winkler's　room　which　could　be　of　any　value
to　Muller　in　the　problem　that　was　now　before　him。　　And　yet　he　was
very　well　satisfied　with　the　result　of　his　errand。

He　entered　his　cab　again；　ordering　the　driver　to　take　him　to
Hietzing。　　Just　before　he　had　reached　the　corner　where　he　had　told
the　man　to　stop；　another　cab　passed　them；　a　coupe；　in　which　was　a
solitary　woman。　　Muller　had　just　time　enough　to　recognise　this　woman
as　Adele　Bernauer；　and　to　see　that　she　looked　even　more　haggard　and
miserable　than　she　had　that　morning。　　She　did　not　look　up　as　the
other　cab　passed　her　carriage；　therefore　she　did　not　see　Muller。
The　detective　looked　at　his　watch　and　saw　that　it　was　almost
half…past　four。　　The　unexpected　meeting　changed；　his　plans　for　the
afternoon。　　He　had　decided　that　he　must　enter　the　Thorne　mansion
again　that　very　day；　for　he　must　find　out　the　meaning　of　the
red…shaded　lamp。　　And　now　that　the　housekeeper　was　away　it　would
be　easier　for　him　to　get　into　the　house；　therefore　it　must　be　done
at　once。　　His　excuse　was　all　ready；　for　he　had　been　weighing
possibilities。　　He　dismissed　his　cab　a　block　from　his　own　home　and
entered　his　house　cautiously。

Muller's　lodgings　consisted　of　two　large　rooms；　really　much　too
large　for　a　lone　man　who　was　at　home　so　little。　　But　Muller　had
engaged　them　at　first　sight；　for　the　apartment　possessed　one
qualification