They left the house together and in less than an hour's time Muller
was again in the train rolling towards the capital.

He went to the goldsmith's shop as soon as he arrived. The
proprietor received him with eager interest and Muller handed him
the golden bullet. "Here is the golden object of which I spoke,"
said the detective, paying no heed to the other's astonishment.
The goldsmith opened a small locked drawer, took a ring from it and
set about an examination of the two little objects. When he turned
to his visitor again, he was evidently satisfied with what he had
discovered. "These two objects are made of exactly the same sort
of gold, of a peculiar old French composition, which can no longer
be produced in the same richness. The weight of the gold in the
bullet is exactly the same as in the ring."

"Would you be willing to take an oath on that if you were called
in as an expert?"

"I am willing to stand up for my judgment."

"Good. And now will you read this over please, it contains the
substance of what you told me yesterday. Should I have made any
mistakes, please correct them, for I will ask you to set your
signature to it."

Muller handed several sheets of close writing to the goldsmith and
the latter read aloud as follows: "On the 22nd of November, a
gentleman came into my shop and handed me a wedding ring with the
request that I should make another one exactly like it. He was