me - the Councillor was jealous too, wasn't he?" Nanette looked at
him in horror.

"The truth, therefore, you must tell me the truth, and get the
others away, so I can speak to you alone. You must do this - or
else I'll tell George about the handsome carpenter in Church street,
or about Franz Schmid, or - "

"For God's sake, stop - stop - I'll do anything you say."

The girl sank back on her chair pale and trembling, while the
peddler resumed his pose of a tired old man leaning against the
stove. When George returned with a large basket, Nanette had
calmed herself sufficiently to go about the unpacking of the
articles in the hamper.

"George, won't you please keep Lena out in the kitchen. Ask her
to make some tea for us," asked Nanette with well feigned assurance.
George smiled a meaning smile and disappeared.

"I am particularly interested in the dead lady's gloves," said the
peddler when they were alone again.

Nanette looked at him in surprise but was still too frightened to
offer any remarks. She opened several boxes and packages and laid
a number of pairs of gloves on the table. The old man looked
through them, turning them over carefully. Then he shook his head:
"There must be some more somewhere," he said. Nanette was no longer
astonished at anything he might say or do, so she obediently went
through the basket again and found a little box in which were