live here in or near the village, and therefore must be known to
all and not likely to excite suspicion."

"I beg your pardon, sir," put in the doctor. "There must be at
least two of them. One man alone could not have carried off the
farm hand who was killed to the swamp where his body was found.
Nor could one man alone have taken away the bloody body of the
pastor. Our venerable friend was a man of size and weight, as
you know, and one man alone could not have dragged his body from
he room without leaving an easily seen trail."

The judge blushed, but he nodded in affirmation to the doctor's
words. This thought had not occurred to him before. In fact, the
judge was more notable for his good will and his love of justice
rather than for his keen intelligence. He was as well aware of
this as was any one else, and he was heartily glad that the Count
had sent to the capital for reinforcements.

Some time more passed in deep silence. Each of the men was occupied
with his own thoughts. A sigh broke the silence now and then, and
a slight movement when one or the other drew out his watch or raised
his head to look at the door. Finally, the sound of a carriage
outside was heard. The men sprang up.

The driver's voice was heard, then steps which ascended the stairs
lowly and lightly, audible only because the stillness was so great.

The door opened and a small, slight, smooth-shaven man with a gentle
face and keen grey eyes stood on the threshold. "I am Joseph
Muller," he said with a low, soft voice.