"Here, drink this; you are cold. Are you ill?" Amster smiled sadly.
"No, I am not ill, but I was discharged to-day and am out of work
now - that's almost as bad."

"Are you married?"

"No, but I have an old mother to support."

"Leave your address with the commissioner. He may be able to find
work for you; we can always use good men here. But now drink your
tea." Amster drank the glass in one gulp. "Well, now we have lost
the trail in both directions," said Muller calmly. "But we will
find it again. You can help, as you are free now anyway. If you
have the talent for that sort of thing, you may find permanent work
here."

A gesture and a look from the workingman showed the detective that
the former did not think very highly of such occupation. Muller
laid his hand on the other's shoulder and said gravely: "You wouldn't
care to take service with us? This sort of thing doesn't rate very
high, I know. But I tell you that if we have our hearts in the right
place, and our brains are worth anything, we are of more good to
humanity than many an honest citizen who wouldn't shake hands with us.
There - and now I am busy. Goodnight."

With these words Muller pushed the astonished man out of the room,
shut the door, and sat down again with his little book. This is
what he read: