the lamp that went out-第24部分

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their　own　happiness；　had　at　last　done　the　only　good　deed　of　his
life　…　had　put　an　end　to　his　useless　existence　with　his　own　hand。

Father　and　daughter　waited　patiently　for　the　return　of　the　man
who　had　sinned　and　suffered　for　their　sake。　　They　spoke　of　him
only　in　terms　of　the　tenderest　affection　and　respect。

And　indeed；　seldom　has　any　condemned　murderer　met　with　the　respect
of　the　entire　community　as　Herbert　Thorne　did。　　The　tone　of　the
newspapers；　and　public　opinion；　evinced　by　hundreds　of　letters　from
friends；　acquaintances；　and　from　strangers；　was　a　great　boon　to
the　solitary　man　in　his　cell；　and　to　the　three　loving　hearts　in　the
old　house。　　And　at　the　end　of　two　years　the　clemency　of　the　Monarch
ended　his　term　of　imprisonment；　and　Herbert　Thorne　was　set　free；　a
step　which　met　with　the　approval　of　the　entire　city。

He　returned　to　the　home　where　love　and　affection　awaited　him；　ready
to　make　him　forget　what　he　had　suffered。　　But　the　silver　threads　in
his　dark　hair　and　a　certain　quiet　seriousness　in　his　manner；　and　in
the　hearts　of　all　the　dwellers　in　the　old　mansion；　showed　that　the
occurrence　of　that　fatal　27th　of　September　had　thrown　a　shadow　over
them　all　which　was　not　to　be　shaken　off。

Joseph　Muller　brought　many　other　cases　to　a　successful　solution。
But　for　years　after　this　particular　case　had　been　won；　he　was
followed；　as　by　a　shadow；　by　a　man　who　watched　over　him；　and　who；
whenever　danger　threatened；　stood　over　the　frail　detective　as　if
to　take　the　blow　upon　himself。　　He　is　a　clever　assistant；　too；　and
no　one　who　had　seen　Johann　Knoll　the　day　that　he　was　put　into　the
cell　on　suspicion　of　murder　would　have　believed　that　the　idle　tramp
could　become　again　such　a　useful　member　of　society。　　These　are　the
victories　that　Joseph　Muller　considers　his　greatest。







End