"Ah! and he wants you to tell me that he's sick? I'm afraid I can't
believe all that this gentleman says. I hope he's not asking your
help to lie to me. Are you sure that his illness is anything else
but a case of being up late?"

"I don't think that he'll ever be sick again - I didn't come with
any message from him, sir; please read this, sir." And she handed
him the newspaper, showing him the notice. While the gentleman was
reading she added: "Mr. Winkler didn't come home last night either."

Winkler's employer read the few lines, then laid the paper aside
with a very serious face. "When did you see him last?" he asked of
the woman.

"Day before yesterday in the morning. He went away about half-past
eight as he usually does," she replied. And then she added a
question of her own: "Was he here day before yesterday?"

The merchant nodded and pressed an electric bell. Then he rose from
his seat and pulled up a chair for his visitor. "Sit down here.
This thing has frightened you and you are no longer young." When
the servant entered, the merchant told him to ask the head bookkeeper
to come to the inner office.

When this official appeared, his employer inquired:
"When did Winkler leave here day before yesterday?"

"At six o'clock, sir, as usual."