the lamp that went out-第2部分

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down　into　it。　　His　right　arm　was　bent　under　his　body；　his　left　arm
was　stretched　out；　and　the　stiffened　fingers　。。。　they　were　slender
white　fingers　。。。　had　sought　for　something　to　break　his　fall。　　All
they　had　found　was　a　tall　stem　of　wild　aster　with　its　purple　blossoms；
which　they　were　holding　fast　in　the　death　grip。　　On　the　dead　man's
back　was　a　small　bullet…wound　and　around　the　edges　of　it　his　light
grey　coat　was　stained　with　blood。　　His　face　was　distorted　in　pain
and　terror。　　It　was　a　nice　face；　or　would　have　been；　did　it　not　show
all　too　plainly　the　marks　of　dissipation　in　spite　of　the　fact　that
the　man　could　not　have　been　much　past　thirty　years　old。　　He　was　a
stranger　to　the　policeman；　although　the　latter　had　been　on　this
beat　for　over　three　years。

When　the　guardian　of　the　law　had　convinced　himself　that　there　was
nothing　more　to　do　for　the　man　who　lay　there；　he　rose　from　his
stooping　position　and　stepped　back。　　His　gaze　wandered　up　and　down
the　quiet　lane；　which　was　still　absolutely　empty　of　human　life。
He　stood　there　quietly　waiting；　watching　over　the　ghastly　discovery。
In　about　ten　minutes　the　police　commissioner　and　the　coroner；
followed　by　two　roundsmen　with　a　litter；　joined　the　solitary　watcher；
and　the　latter　could　return　to　his　post。

The　policemen　set　down　their　litter　and　waited　for　orders；　while
the　coroner　and　the　commissioner　bent　over　the　corpse。　　There　was
nothing　for　the　physician　to　do　but　to　declare　that　the　unfortunate
man　had　been　dead　for　many　hours。　　The　bullet　which　struck　him　in
the　back　had　killed　him　at　once。　　The　commissioner　examined　the
ground　immediately　around　the　corpse；　but　could　find　nothing　that
pointed　to　a　struggle。　　There　remained　only　to　prove　whether　there
had　been　a　robbery　as　well　as　a　murder。

〃Judging　from　the　man's　position　the　bullet　must　have　come　from
that　direction；〃　　said　the　commissioner；　pointing　towards　the
cottages　down　the　lane。

〃People　who　are　killed　by　bullets　may　turn　several　times　before
they　fall；〃　　said　a　gentle　voice　behind　the　police　officer。　　The
voice　seemed　to　suit　the　thin　little　man　who　stood　there　meekly；
his　hat　in　his　hand。

The　commissioner　turned　quickly。　　〃Ah；　are　you　there　already；
Muller？〃　　he　said；　as　if　greatly　pleased；　while　the　physician　broke
in　with　the　remark：

〃That's　just　what　I　was　about　to　observe。　　This　man　did　not　die
so　quickly　that　he　could　not　have　made　a　voluntary　or　involuntary
movement　before　life　fled。　　The　shot　that　killed　him　might　have
come　from　any　direction。〃

The　commissioner　nodded　thoughtfully　and　there　was　silence　for　a
few　moments。　　Muller　…　for　the　little　thin　man　was　none　other
than　the　celebrated　Joseph　Muller；　one　of　the　most　brilliant
detectives　in　the　service　of　the　Austrian　police　…　looked　down　at
the　corpse　carefully。。　　He　took　plenty　of　time　to　do　it　and
nobody　hurried　him。　　For　nobody　ever　hurried　Muller；　his　well…known
and　almost　laughable　thoroughness　and　pedantry　were　too　valuable　in
their　results。　　It　was　a　tradition　in　the　police　that　Muller　was　to
have　all　the　time　he　wanted　for　everything。　　It　paid　in　the　end；
for　Muller　made　few　mistakes。　　Therefore；　his　superior　the　police
commissioner；　and　the　coroner　waited　quietly　while　the　little　man
made　his　inspection　of　the　corpse。

〃Thank　you；〃　　said　Muller　finally；　with　a　polite　bow　to　the
commissioner；　before　he　bent　to　brush　away　the　dust　on　his　knees。

〃Well？〃　　asked　Commissioner　Holzer。

Muller　smiled　an　embarrassed　smile　as　he　replied：

〃Well　。。。　I　haven't　found　out　anything　yet　except　that　he　is　dead；
and　that　he　has　been　shot　in　the　back。　　His　pockets　may　tell　us
something　more。〃

〃Yes；　we　can　examine　them　at　once；〃　　said　the　commissioner。　　〃I
have　been　delaying　that　for　I　wanted　you　here；　but　I　had　no　idea
that　you　would　come　so　soon。　　I　told　them　to　fetch　you　if　you　were
awake；　but　doubted　you　would　be；　for　I　know　you　have　had　no　sleep
for　forty…eight　hours。〃

〃Oh；　I　can　sleep；　at　least　with　one　eye；　when　I'm　on　the　chase；〃
answered　the　detective。　　〃So　it's　really　only　twenty…four　hours；
you　see。〃　　Muller　had　just　returned　from　tracking　down　an
aristocratic　swindler　whom　he　had　found　finally　in　a　little　French
city　and　had　brought　back　to　a　Viennese　prison。　　He　had　returned
well　along　in　the　past　night　and　Holzer　knew　that　the　tired　man
would　need　his　rest。　　Still　he　had　sent　for　Muller；　who　lived　near
the　police　station；　for　the　girl's　report　had　warned　him　that　this
was　a　serious　case。　　And　in　serious　cases　the　police　did　not　like
to　do　without　Muller's　help。

And　as　usual　when　his　work　called　him；　Muller　was　as　wide　awake　as
if　he　had　had　a　good　night's　sleep　behind　him。　　The　interest　of　a
new　case　robbed　him　of　every　trace　of　fatigue。　　It　was　he　alone　…　at
his　own　request　…　who　raised　the　body　and　laid　it　on　its　back　before
he　stepped　aside　to　make　way　for　the　doctor。

The　physician　opened　the　dead　man's　vest　to　see　whether　the　bullet
had　passed　completely　through　the　body。　　But　it　had　not；　there　was
not　the　slightest　trace　of　blood　upon　the　shirt。

〃There's　nothing　more　for　me　to　do　here；　Muller；〃　said　the
physician；　as　he　bowed　to　the　commissioner　and　left　the　place。

Muller　examined　the　pockets　of　the　dead　man。

〃It's　probably　a　case　of　robbery；　too；〃　　remarked　the　commissioner。
〃A　man　as　well…dressed　as　this　one　is　would　be　likely　to　have　a
watch。〃

〃And　a　purse；〃　　added　the　detective。　　〃But　this　man　has　neither　…　or
at　least　he　has　them　no　longer。〃

In　the　various　pockets　of　the　dead　man's　clothes　Muller　found　the
following　articles：　a　handkerchief；　several　tramway　tickets；　a
penknife；　a　tiny　mirror；　and　comb；　and　a　little　book；　a　cheap
novel。　　He　wrapped　them　all　in　the　handkerchief　and　put　them　in　his
own　pocket。　　The　dead　man's　coat　had　fallen　back　from　his　body
during　the　examination；　and　as　Muller　turned　the　stiffened　limbs
a　little　he　saw　the　opening　of　another　pocket　high　up　over　the
right　hip　of　the　trousers。　　The　detective　passed　his　hand　over　the
pocket　and　heard　something　rattle。　　Then　he　put　his　hand　in　the
pocket　and　drew　out　a　thin　narrow　envelope　which　he　handed　to　the
commissioner。　　Holzer　looked　at　it　carefully。　　It　was　made　of　very
thin　expensive　paper　and　bore　no　address。　　But　it　was　sealed；
although　not　very　carefully；　for　the　gummed　edges　were　open　in
spots。　　It　must　have　been　hastily　closed　and　was　slightly　crushed
as　if　it　had　been　carried　in　a　clenched　hand。　　The　commissioner
cut　open　the　envelope　with　his　penknife。　　He　gave　an　exclamation
of　surprise　as　he　showed　Muller　the　contents。　　In　the　envelope
there　were　three　hundred…gulden　notes。

The　commissioner　looked　at　Muller　without　a　word；　but　the　detective
understood　and　shook　his　head。　　〃No；〃　　he　said　calmly；　〃it　may　be　a
case　of　robbery　just　the　same。　　This　pocket　was　not　very　easy　to
find；　and　the　money　in　it　was　safer　than　the　dead　man's　watch　and
purse　would　be。　　That　is；　if　he　had　a　watch　and　purse　…　and　he　very
probably　had　a　watch；〃　　he　added　more　quickly。

For　Muller　had　made　a　little　discovery。　　On　the　lower　hem　of　the
left　side　of　the　dead　man's　waistcoat　he　saw　a　little　lump；　and
feeling　of　it　he　discovered　that　it　was　a　watch　key　which　had
slipped　down　out　of　the　torn　pocket　between　the　lining　and　the
material　of　the　vest。　　A　sure　proof　that　the　dead　man　had　had　a
watch；　which　in　all　probability　had　been　taken　from　him　by　his
murderer。　　There　was　no　loose　change　or　small　bills　to　be　found
in　any　of　the　pockets；　so　that　it　was　more　than　likely　that　the
dead　man　had　had　his　money　in　a　purse。　　It　seemed　to　be　a　case
of　murder　for　the　sake　of　robbery。　　At　least　Muller　and　the
commissioner　believed　it　to　be　one；　from　what　they　had　discovered
thus　far。

The　police　officer　gave　his　men　orders　to　raise　the　body　and　to
take　it　to　the　morgue。　　An　hour　later　the　unknown　man　lay　in　the
bare　room　in　which　the　only　spot　of　brightness　were　the　rays　of
the　sun　that　crept　through　the　high　barred　windows　and　touched　his
cold　face　and　stiffened　form　as　with　a　pitying　caress。　　But　no；
there　was　one　other　little　spot　of　brightness　in　the　silent　place。
It　was　the　wild　aster　which　the　dead　man's　hand　still　held　tightly
clasped。　　The　little　purple　flowers　were　quite　fresh　yet；　and　the
dewdrops　clinging　to　them　greeted　the　kiss　of　the　sun's　rays　with
an　answering　smile。




CHAPTER　II

THE　BROKEN　WILLOW　TWIG


As　soon　as　the　corpse　had　been　taken　away；　the　police　commissioner
returned　to　the　station。　　But　Muller　remained　there　all　alone　to
make　a　thorough　examination　of　the　entire　vicinity。

It　was　not　a　very　attractive　spot；　this　particular　part　of　the
street。　　There　must　have　been　a　nursery　there　at　one　time；　for
there　were　still　several　ordered　rows　of　small　trees　to　be　seen。
There　were　traces　of　flower　cultivation　as　well；　for　several
trailing　vines　and　overgrown　bushes　showed　where　shrubs　had　been
grown　which　do　not　usually　grow　without　man's　assistance。
Immediately　back　of　the　old　elder　tree　Muller　found　several　fine
examples　of　rare　flowers；　or　rather　he　found　the　shrubs　which　his
experienced　eye　recognised　as　having　once　borne　these　unusual
blossoms。　　One　or　two　blooms　still　hung　to　the　bushes　and　the
detective；　who　was　a　great　lover　of　flowers；　picked　them　and　put
them　in　his　buttonhole。　　While　he　did　this；　his　keen　eyes　were
darting　about　the　place　taking　in　all　the　details。　　This　vacant
lot　had　evidently　been　used　as　an　unlicensed　dumping　ground　for
some　time；　for　all　sorts　of　odds　and　ends；　old　boots；　bits　of
stuff；　silk　and　rags；　broken　bottles　and　empty　tin　cans；　lay　about
between　the　bushes　or　half　buried　in　the　earth。　　What　had　once
been　an　orderly　garden　was　now　an　untidy　receptacle　for　waste。
The　pedantically　neat　detective　looked　about　him　in　disgust；　then
suddenly　he　forgot　his　displeasure　and　a　gleam　shot　up　in　his　eye。
It　was　very　little；　the　thing　this　man　had　seen；　this　man　who　saw
so　much　more　than　others。

About　ten　paces　from　where　he　stood　a　high　wooden　fence　hemmed　in
the　lot。　　The　fence　belonged　to　the　neighbouring　property；　as　the
lot　in　which　he　stood　was　not　protected　in　any　way。　　To　the　back
it　was　closed　off　by　a　corn　field　where　the　tall　stalks　rustled
gentl