couldn't stand it. It seemed to me that the police in G-- were
taking things for granted, and just sitting there waiting for an
innocent man to confess, instead of looking for the real murderer,
who may be gone, the Lord knows where, by now!" Miss Graumann's
faded cheeks flushed a delicate pink, and she straightened up in
her chair again, while her eyes snapped defiance through the tears
that hung on their lashes.

A faint gleam twinkled up in Muller's eyes, and he did not look at
his chief. Doctor von Riedau's own face glowed in a slowly mounting
flush, and his eyes drooped in a moment of conscious embarrassment
at some recollection, the sting of which was evidently made worse
by Muller's presence. But Commissioner von Riedau had brains enough
to acknowledge his mistakes and to learn from them. He looked across
the desk at Miss Graumann. "You are right, Madam, the police have
made that mistake more than once. And a man with a clear record
deserves the benefit of the doubt. We will take up this case.
Detective Muller will be put in charge of it. And that means, Madam,
that we are giving you the very best assistance the Imperial Police
Force affords."

Miss Babette Graumann did not attempt to speak. In a wave of
emotion she stretched out both little hands to the detective and
clasped his warmly. "Oh, thank you," she said at last. "I thank
you. He's just like my own boy to me; he's all the child I ever
had, you know."

"But there are difficulties in the way," continued the commissioner
in a business-like tone. "The local authorities in G-- have not
asked for our assistance, and we are taking up the case over their