the case of the registered letter-第6部分

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least　of　my　anxieties　and　my　troubles　…　that　I　feared　。。。　I　feared
anything　might　happen。〃

〃You　feared　he　might　take　his　own　life；　do　you　mean？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　what　I　feared。　　But　is　it　not　terrible　to　think
that　he　should　have　died　this　way　…　by　the　hand　of　a　murderer？〃

〃H'm！　　And　you　cannot　remember　any　possible　friend　he　may　have
found　…　some　schoolboy　friend　of　his　youth；　perhaps；　with　whom　he
had　again　struck　　up　an　acquaintance。〃

〃Oh；　no；　no；　I　am　positive　of　that。　　John　could　not　bear　to　hear
the　names　even　of　the　people　he　had　known　before　his　misfortune。
Still；　I　do　remember　his　once　having　spoken　of　a　man；　a　German　he
had　met　in　Chicago　and　rather　taken　a　fancy　to；　and　who　had　also
returned　to　Germany。〃

〃Could　this　possibly　have　been　the　man　to　whom　the　letter　is
addressed？〃

〃No；　no。　　This　friend　of　John's　was　not　married；　I　remember　his
saying　that。　　And　he　lived　in　Germany　somewhere　…　let　me　think　…　yes；
in　Frankfort…on…Main。〃

〃And　do　you　remember　the　man's　name？〃

〃No；　I　cannot；　I　am　sorry　to　say。　　John　only　mentioned　it　once。　　It
was　only　by　a　great　effort　that　I　could　remember　the　incident　at　all。〃

〃And　has　it　not　struck　you　as　rather　peculiar　that　this　friend；　the
one　to　whom　the　cordial　letter　was　addressed；　did　not　come　forward
and　make　his　identity　known？　　G…　is　a　city；　it　is　true；　but　it　is
not　a　very　large　city；　and　any　man　being　on　terms　of　intimate
acquaintance　with　one　who　was　murdered　would　be　apt　to　come　forward
in　the　hope　of　throwing　some　light　on　the　mystery。〃

〃Why；　yes；　I　had　not　thought　of　that。　　It　is　peculiar；　is　it　not？
But　some　people　are　so　foolishly　afraid　of　having　anything　to　do
with　the　police；　you　know。〃

〃That　is　very　true；　Miss　Roemer。　　Still　it　is　a　queer　incident　and
something　that　I　must　look　into。〃

〃What　do　you　believe？〃　asked　the　girl　tensely。

〃I　am　not　in　a　position　to　say　as　yet。　　When　I　am；　I　will　come　to
you　and　tell　you。〃

〃Then　you　do　not　think　that　my　guardian　killed　John　…　that　there
was　a　quarrel　between　the　men？〃

〃There　is；　of　course；　a　possibility　that　it　may　have　been　so。　　You
know　your　guardian　better　than　I　do；　naturally。　　Our　knowledge　of
a　man's　character　is　often　a　far　better　guide　than　any　circumstantial
evidence。〃

〃My　guardian　is　a　man　of　the　greatest　uprightness　of　character。　　But
he　can　be　very　hard　and　pitiless　sometimes。　　And　he　has　a　violent
temper　which　his　weak　heart　has　forced　him　to　keep　in　control　of
late　years。〃

〃All　this　speaks　for　the　possibility　that　there　may　have　been　a
quarrel　ending　in　the　fatal　shot。　　But　what　I　want　to　know　from
you　is　this　…　do　you　think　it　possible；　that；　this　having　happened；
Albert　Graumann　would　not　have　been　the　first　to　confess　his
unpremeditated　crime？　　Is　not　this　the　most　likely　thing　for　a　man
of　his　character　to　do？　　Would　he　so　stubbornly　deny　it；　if　it　had
happened？〃

The　girl　started。　　〃I　had　not　thought　of　that！　　Why；　why；　of　course；
he　might　have　killed　John　in　a　moment　of　temper；　but　he　was　never
a　man　to　conceal　a　fault。　　He　is　as　pitiless　towards　his　own
weakness；　as　towards　that　of　others。　　You　are　right；　oh；　you　must
be　right。　　Oh；　if　you　could　take　this　awful　fear　from　my　heart！
Even　my　grief　for　John　would　be　easier　to　bear　then。〃

Muller　rose　from　his　chair。　　〃I　think　I　can　promise　you　that　this
load　will　be　lifted　from　your　heart；　Miss　Roemer。〃

〃Then　you　believe　…　that　it　was　just　a　case　of　murder　for　robbery？
For　the　money？　　And　John　had　some　valuable　jewelry；　I　know　that。〃

〃I　do　not　know　yet；〃　replied　Muller　slowly；　〃but　I　will　find　out；
I　generally　do。〃

〃Oh；　to　think　that　I　should　have　done　that　poor　man　such　an
injustice！　　It　is　terrible；　terrible！　　This　house　has　been　ghastly
these　days。　　His　poor　aunt　knows　that　he　is　innocent　…　she　could
never　believe　otherwise　…　she　has　felt　the　hideous　suspicion　in　my
mind　…　it　has　made　her　suffering　worse　…　will　they　ever　forgive　me？〃

〃Her　joy；　if　I　can　free　her　nephew；　will　make　her　forget　everything。
Go　to　her　now；　Miss　Roemer；　comfort　her　with　the　assurance　that　you
also　believe　him　to　be　innocent。　　I　must　hasten　back　to　G…　and　go
on　with　this　quest。〃

The　girl　stood　at　the　doorway　shaded　by　the　overhanging　branches　of
two　great　trees；　looking　down　the　street　after　the　slight　figure　of
the　detective。　　〃Oh；　it　is　all　easier　to　hear；　hard　as　it　is；　easier
now　that　this　horrible　suspicion　has　gone　from　my　mind　…　why　did　I
not　think　of　that　before？〃

Alone　in　the　corner　of　the　smoking　compartment　in　the　train　to　G…；
Muller　arranged　in　his　mind　the　facts　he　had　already　gathered。　　He
had　questioned　the　servants　of　John　Siders'　former　household；　had
found　that　the　dead　man　received　very　few　letters；　only　an
occasional　business　communication　from　his　bank。　　Of　the　few　others；
the　servants　knew　nothing　except　that　he　had　always　thrown　the
envelopes　carelessly　in　the　waste　paper　basket　and　had　never　seemed
to　have　any　correspondence　which　he　cared　to　conceal。　　No　friend
from　elsewhere　bad　ever　visited　him　in　Grunau；　and　he　had　made　few
friends　there　except　the　Graumann　family。

The　facts　of　the　case；　as　he　knew　them　now；　were　such　as　to　make　it
extremely　doubtful　that　Graumann　was　the　murderer。　　Muller　himself
had　been　inclined　to　believe　in　the　possibility　of　a　quarrel
between　the　two　men；　particularly　when　he　had　heard　that　Graumann
himself　was　in　love　with　his　handsome　ward。　　But　the　second　thought
that　came　to　him　then；　impelled　by　the　unerring　instinct　that　so
often　guided　him　to　the　truth；　was　the　assurance　that　in　a　case　of
this　kind；　in　a　case　of　a　quarrel　terminating　fatally；　a　man　like
Albert　Graumann　would　be　the　very　first　to　give　himself　up　to　the
police　and　to　tell　the　facts　of　the　case。　　Albert　Graumann　was　a
man　of　honour　and　unimpeachable　integrity。　　Such　a　man　would　not
persist　in　a　foolish　denial　of　the　deed　which　he　had　committed　in
a　moment　of　temper。　　There　would　be　nothing　to　gain　from　it；　and
his　own　conscience　would　be　his　severest　judge。　　〃The　disorder　in
the　room？〃　thought　Muller。　　〃It'll　be　too　late　for　that　now。　　I
suppose　they　have　rearranged　the　place。　　I　can　only　go　by　what　the
local　detectives　have　seen；　by　the　police　reports。　　But　I　do　not
understand　this　extreme　disorder。　　There　is　no　reason　why　there
should　be　a　struggle　when　the　robber　was　armed　with　a　pistol。　　If
Siders　was　supposed　to　have　been　interrupted　when　writing　a　letter；
interrupted　by　a　thief　come　with　intent　to　steal；　a　thief　armed
with　a　revolver；　the　sight　of　this　weapon　alone　would　be　sufficient
to　insure　his　not　moving　from　his　seat。　　I　can　understand　the　open
drawers　and　cupboard；　that　is　explained　by　the　thief's　hasty　search
for　booty。　　But　the　torn　window　curtain　and　the　overturned　chairs
are　peculiar。

〃Of　course　there　is　always　a　possibility　that　the　thief　might　have
entered　one　room　while　Siders　was　in　the　other；　that　the　latter
might　have　surprised　the　robber　in　his　search　for　money　or　valuables；
and　that　there　might　have　been　a　hand…to…hand　struggle　before　the
intruder　could　pull　out　his　revolver。　　Oh；　if　I　could　only　have　seen
the　body！　　This　is　working　under　terrific　difficulties。　　The　marks
of　a　hand…to…hand　struggle　would　have　been　very　plain　on　the　clothes
and　on　the　person　of　the　murdered　man。　　But　this　letter？　　I　do　not
understand　this　letter　at　all。　　It　is　the　dead　man's　handwriting；
that　we　know；　but　why　did　not　the　friend　to　whom　it　was　addressed
come　forward　and　make　himself　known？　　As　far　as　I　can　learn　from　the
police　reports　in　G…；　there　was　no　personal　interest　shown；　no
personal　inquiries　made　about　the　dead　man。　　There　was　only　the
natural　excitement　that　a　murder　would　create。　　Now　a　family；
expecting　to　make　a　pleasure　excursion　with　a　friend　in　a　day　or
two　and　suddenly　hearing　that　this　friend　had　been　found　murdered
in　his　lodgings；　would　be　inclined　to　take　some　little　personal
interest　in　the　matter。　　These　people　must　have　been　in　town　and　at
home；　for　the　excursion　spoken　of　in　the　letter　was　to　occur　two
days　after　the　murder。　　Miss　Roemer's　remark　about　the　dread　that
some　people　have　as　to　any　connection　with　the　police；　is　true　to
a　limited　extent　only。　　It　is　true　only　of　the　ignorant　mind；　not
of　a　man　presumably　well…to…do　and　properly　educated。　　I　do　not
understand　why　the　man　to　whom　this　letter　was　addressed　has　not
made　himself　known。　　The　only　explanation　is　…　that　there　was　no
such　man！〃　　A　sudden　sharp　whistle　broke　from　the　detective's　lips。

〃I　must　examine　the　dead　man's　personal　effects；　his　baggage；　his
papers；　there　may　be　something　there。　　His　queer　letter　to　Graumann
…　his　desire　that　the　latter's　visit　should　be　kept　secret　…　a　visit
which　apparently　had　no　cause　at　all；　except　to　get　Graumann　to　the
house；　to　get　him　to　the　house　in　a　way　that　he　should　be　seen
coming；　but　should　not　be　seen　going　away。　　What　does　this　mean？

〃Graumann　was　the　only　person　against　whom　Siders　had　an　active
cause　of　quarrel　for　the　moment。　　There　was　one　other　man　whom　he
hated；　and　this　other　man　was　the　prosecuting　attorney　who　would
conduct　any　case　of　murder　that　came　up　in　the　town　of　G…。

〃Now　John　Siders　is　found　murdered　…　is　found　killed；　in　his
lodgings；　the　morning　after　he　has　arranged　things　so　that　his
antagonist；　his　rival　in　love；　Albert　Graumann；　shall　come　under
suspicion　of　having　murdered　him。。

〃What　evidence　have　we　that　this　man　did　not　commit　suicide？　　We
have　the　evidence　of　the　disorder　in　the　room；　a　disorder　that
could　have　been　made　just　as　well　by　the　man　himself　before　he　ended
his　own　life。　　We　have　the　evidence　of　a　letter　to　some　unknown；
making　plans　for　pleasure　during　the　next　days；　and　speaking　of
further　plans；　presumably　concerning　business；　for　the　future。　　In
a　town　the　size　of　G…；　where　every　one　must　have　read　of　the　murder；
no　one　has　come　forward　claiming　to　be　the　friend　for　whom　this
letter　was　written。　　Until　this　Unknown　makes　himself　known；　the
letter　as　an　evidence　points　rather　to　premeditated　suicide　than　to
the　contrary。　　Oh；　if　I　could　only　have　seen　the　body！　　They　tell
me　the　pistol　was　found　some　little　distance　from　the　body。　　Is　it
at　all　likely　that　a　murderer　wo