the case of the registered letter-第3部分

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his　family　to　ask　for　outside　assistance；　and　agreed　with　Muller
that　it　was　better　to　have　some　one　in　the　official　service　brought
in；　rather　than　a　private　detective　whose　work；　in　its　eventual
results；　might　bring　shame　on　the　police。　　Muller　explained　that
Miss　Graumann　did　not　want　her　nephew　to　know　that　it　was　she　who
had　asked　for　aid　in　his　behalf；　and　that　it　could　only　redound　to
his；　Lange's；　credit　if　it　were　understood　that　he　had　sent　to
Vienna　for　expert　assistance　in　this　case。　　It　would　be　a　proof　of
his　conscientious　attention　to　duty；　and　would　insure　praise　for
him；　whichever　way　the　case　turned　out。　　Commissioner　Lange　saw　the
force　of　this　argument；　and　finally　gave　Muller　permission　to　handle
the　case　as　he　thought　best；　rather　relieved　than　otherwise　for　his
own　part。　　The　detective's　next　errand　was　to　the　prison；　where　he
now　stood　looking　up　into　the　deep…set；　dark　eyes　of　a　tall；
broad…shouldered；　black…bearded　man；　who　had　arisen　from　the　cot　at
his　entrance。　　Albert　Graumann　had　a　strong；　self…reliant　face　and
bearing。　　His　natural　expression　was　somewhat　hard　and　stern；　but　it
was　the　expression　of　a　man　of　integrity　and　responsibility。　　Muller
had　already　made　some　inquiries　as　to　the　prisoner's　reputation　and
business　standing　in　the　community；　and　all　that　he　had　heard　was
favourable。　　A　certain　hardness　and　lack　of　amiability　in　Graumann's
nature　made　it　difficult　for　him　to　win　the　hearts　of　others；　but
although　he　was　not　generally　loved；　he　was　universally　respected。
Through　the　signs　of　nagging　fear；　sorrow；　and　ill…health；　printed
clearly　on　the　face　before　him；　Muller's　keen　eyes　looked　down　into
the　soul　of　a　man　who　might　be　overbearing；　pitiless　even；　if
occasion　demanded；　but　who　would　not　murder　…　at　least　not　for　the
sake　of　gain。　　This　last　possibility　Muller　had　dismissed　from
his　mind；　even　before　he　saw　the　prisoner。　　The　man's　reputation
was　sufficient　to　make　the　thought　ridiculous。　　But　he　had　not　made
up　his　mind　whether　it　might　not　be　a　case　of　a　murder　after　a
quarrel。　　Now　he　began　to　doubt　even　this　when　he　looked　into　the
intelligent；　harsh…featured　face　of　the　man　in　the　cell。　　But　Muller
had　the　gift　of　putting　aside　his　own　convictions；　when　he　wanted
his　mind　clear　to　consider　evidence　before　him。

Graumann　had　risen　from　his　sitting　position　when　he　saw　a　stranger。
His　heavy　brows　drew　down　over　his；　eyes；　but　he　waited　for　the
other　to　speak。

〃I　am　Detective　Joseph　Muller；　from　Vienna；〃　began　the　newcomer；
when　he　had　seen　that　the　prisoner　did　not　intend　to　start　the
conversation。

〃Have　you　come　to　question　me　again？〃　asked　Graumann　wearily。　　〃I
can　say　no　more　than　I　have　already　said　to　the　Police　Commissioner。
And　no　amount　of　cross…examination　can　make　me　confess　a　crime　of
which　T　am　not　guilty　…　no　matter　what　evidence　there　may　be　against
me。〃　　The　prisoner's　voice　was　hard　and　determined　in　spite　of　its
note　of　physical　and　mental　weariness。

〃I　have　not　come　to　extort　a　confession　from　you；　Mr。　Graumann；〃
Muller　replied　gently；　〃but　to　help　you　establish　your　innocence；
if　it　be　possible。〃

A　wave　of　colour　flooded　the　prisoner's　cheek。　　He　gasped；　pressed
his　hand　to　his　heart；　and　dropped　down　on　his　cot。　　〃Pardon　me；〃
he　said　finally；　hesitating　like　a　man　who　is　fighting　for　breath。
〃My　heart　is　weak；　any　excitement　upsets　me。　　You　mean　that　the
authorities　are　not　convinced　of　my　guilt；　in　spite　of　the　evidence？
You　mean　that　they　will　give　me　the　benefit　of　the　doubt　…　that　they
will　give　me　a　chance　for　life？〃

〃Yes；　that　is　the　reason　for　my　coming　here。　　I　am　to　take　this
case　in　hand。　　If　you　will　talk　freely　to　me；　Mr。　Graumann；　I　may
be　able　to　help　you。　　I　have　seen　too　many　mistakes　of　justice
because　of　circumstantial　evidence　to　lay　any　too　great　stress
upon　it。　　I　have　waited　to　hear　your　side　of　the　story　from
yourself。　　I　did　not　want　to　hear　it　from　others。　　Will　you　tell　it
to　me　now？　　No；　do　not　move；　I　will　get　the　stool　myself。〃

Graumaun　sat　back　on　the　cot；　his　head　resting　against　the　wall。
His　eyes　had　closed　while　Muller　was　speaking；　but　his　quieter
breathing　showed　that　he　was　mastering　the　physical　attack　which
had　so　shaken　him　at　the　first　glimpse　of　hope。　　He　opened　his　eyes
now　and　looked　at　Muller　steadily　for　a　moment。　　Then　he　said：　〃Yes；
I　will　tell　you：　my　life　and　my　work　have　taught　me　to　gauge　men。
I　will　tell　you　everything　I　know　about　this　sad　affair。　　I　will
tell　you　the　absolute　truth；　and　I　think　you　will　believe　me。〃

〃I　will　believe　you；〃　said　Muller　simply。

〃You　know　the　details　of　the　murder；　of　course；　and　why　I　was
arrested？〃

〃You　were　arrested　because　you　were　the　last　person　seen　in　the
company　of　the　murdered　man？〃

〃Exactly。　　Then　I　may　go　back　and　tell　you　something　of　my
connection　with　John　Siders？〃

〃It　would　be　the　very　best　thing　to　do。〃

〃I　live　in　Grunau；　as　you　doubtless　know；　and　am　the　engineering
expert　of　large　machine　works　there。　　My　father　before　me　held　an
important　position　in　the　factory；　and　my　family　have　always　lived
in　Grunau。　　I　have　traveled　a　great　deal　myself。　　I　am　forty…five
years　old；　a　childless　widower；　and　live　with　my　old　aunt；　Miss
Babette　Graumann；　and　my　ward；　Miss　Eleonora　Roemer；　a　young　lady
of　twenty…two。〃　Muller　looked　up　with　a　slight　start　of　surprise；
but　did　not　say　anything。　　Graumann　continued：

〃A　little　over　a　year　ago；　John　Siders；　who　signed　himself　as　coming
from　Chicago；　bought　a　piece　of　property　in　our　town　and　came　to
live　there。　　I　made　his　acquaintance　in　the　caf？and　he　seemed　to
take　a　fancy　to　me。　　I　also　had　spent　several　years　in　Chicago；　and
we　naturally　came　to　speak　of　the　place。　　We　discovered　that　we　had
several　mutual　acquaintances　there；　and　enjoyed　talking　over　the
old　times。　　Otherwise　I　did　not　take　particularly　to　the　man；　and
as　I　came　to　know　him　better　I　noticed　that　he　never　mentioned　that
part　of　his　life　which　lay　back　of　the　years　in　Chicago。　　I　asked　a
casual　question　once　or　twice　as　to　his　home　and　family；　but　he
evaded　me　every　time；　and　would　not　give　a　direct　answer。　　He　was
evidently　a　German　by　birth　and　education；　a　man　with　university
training；　and　one　who　knew　life　thoroughly。　　He　had　delightful
manners；　and　when　he　could　forget　his　shyness　for　a　while；　he　could
be　very　agreeable。　　The　ladies　of　my　family　came　to　like　him；　and
encouraged　him　to　call　frequently。　　Then　the　thing　happened　that　I
should　not　have　believed　possible。　　My　ward；　Miss　Roemer；　a　quiet；
reserved　girl；　fell　in　love　with　this　man　about　whom　none　of　us
knew　anything；　a　man　with　a　past　of　which　he　did　not　care　to　speak。

〃I　was　not　in　any　way　satisfied　with　the　match；　and　they　seemed　to
realise　it。　　For　Siders　managed　to　persuade　the　girl　to　a　secret
engagement。　　I　discovered　it　a　month　or　two　ago；　and　it　made　me　very
angry。　　I　did　not　let　them　see　how　badly　I　felt；　but　I　warned　Lora
not　to　have　too　much　to　do　with　the　boy；　and　I　set　about　finding
out　something　regarding　his　earlier　life。　　It　was　my　duty　to　do　this；
as　I　was　the　girl's　guardian。　　She　has　no　other　relative　living；　and
no　one　to　turn　to　except　my　aunt　and　myself。　　I　wrote　to　Mr。　Richard
Tressider　in　Chicago；　the　owner　of　the　factory　in　which　I　had　been
employed　while　there。　　John　had　told　me　that　Tressider　had　been　his
client　during　the　four　years　in　which　he　practiced　law　in　Chicago。
I　received　an　answer　about　the　middle　of　August。　　Mr。　Tressider　had
been　able　to　find　out　only　that　John　was　born　in　the　town　of　Hartberg
in　a　certain　year。　　This　was　enough。　　I　took　leave　of　absence　for　a
few　days　and　went　to　Hartberg；　which；　as　you　know；　is　about　140　miles
from　here。　　Three　days　later　I　knew　all　that　I　wanted　to　know。　　John
Siders　was　not　the　man's　real　name；　or；　rather；　it　was　only　part　of
his　name。　　His　full　name　was　Theodor　John　Bellmann；　and　his　mother
was　an　Englishwoman　whose　maiden　name　was　Siders。　　His　father　was　a
county　official　who　died　at　an　early　age；　leaving　his　widow　and　the
boy　in　deepest　poverty。　　Mrs。　　Bellmann　moved　to　G…　to　give　music
lessons。　　Theodor　went　to　school　there；　then　finally　to　college；　and
was　an　excellent　pupil　everywhere。　　But　one　day　it　was　discovered
that　he　had　been　stealing　money　from　the　banker　in　whose　house　he
was　serving　as　private　tutor　to　the　latter's　sons。　　A　large　sum　of
money　was　missing；　and　every　evidence　pointed　to　young　Bellmann　as
the　thief。　　He　denied　strenuously　that　he　was　guilty；　but　the
District　Judge　（it　was　the　present　Prosecuting　Attorney　Schmidt　in
G…）　sentenced　him。　　He　spent　eight　months　in　prison；　during　which
time　his　mother　died　of　grief　at　the　disgrace。　　There　must　have　been
something　good　in　the　boy；　for　he　had　never　forgotten　that　it　was
his　guilt　that　struck　down　his　only　relative；　the　mother　who　had
worked　so　hard　for　him。　　He　had　atoned　for　this　crime　of　his　youth；
and　during　the　years　that　have　passed　since　then；　he　had　been　an
honest；　upright　man。〃

Graumann　paused　a　moment　and　pressed　his　hand　to　his　heart　again。
His　voice　had　grown　weaker；　and　he　breathed　hard。　　Finally　he
continued：　〃I　commanded　my　ward　to　break　off　her　engagement；　as　I
could　not　allow　her　to　marry　a　man　who　was　a　freed　convict。　　Siders
sold　his　property　some　few　weeks　after　that　and　moved　to　G…。
Eleonora　acquiesced　in　my　commands；　but　she　was　very　unhappy　and
allowed　me　to　see　very　little　of　her。　　Then　came　the　events　of　the
evening　of　September　23rd；　the　events　which　have　turned　out　so
terribly。　　I　will　try　to　tell　you　the　story　just　as　it　happened；
so　far　as　I　am　concerned。　　I　had　seen　nothing　of　John　since　he　left
this　town。　　He　had　made　several　attempts　before　his　departure　for
G…　to　change　my　opinion；　and　my　decision　as　to　his　marriage　to　my
ward。　　But　I　let　him　see　plainly　that　it　was　impossible　for　him　to
enter　our　family　with　such　a　past　behind　him。　　He　asserted　his
innocence　of　the　charges　against　him；　and　declared　that　he　had　been
unjustly　accused　and　imprisoned。　　I　am　afraid　that　I　was　hard
towards　him。　　I　begin　to　understand　now；　as　I　never　thought　I
should；　what　it　means　to　be　accused　of　crime。　　I　begin　to　realise
that　it　is　possible　for　every　evidenc