he idea that
Winkler might not have been killed for the sake of robbery, but because
of the hatred that some one bore him. Then it was that you lost your
appetite suddenly, that you drove into the city with the excuse of
errands to do, in order to read the papers without being seen by any
one who knew you. When you came home you searched everywhere in your
master's room: you made an excuse for this search, but what you wanted
to find out was whether he had left anything that could betray him. Your
fright had already confused your mind. You were searching probably for
the weapon from which he had fired the bullet. You did not realise that
he would naturally have taken it with him and thrown it somewhere into
a ravine or river beside the railway track between here and Venice. How
could you think for a moment that he would leave it behind him, here in
his room, or dropped in the garden? But this was doubtless due to the
confusion owing to your sudden alarm and anxiety--a confusion which
prevented you from realising the danger of the two peculiarly hung
mirrors in Mr. Thorne's room. These should have been taken away at once.
This morning my sudden appearance at the garden gate prevented you from
making an examination of the place of the murder. Your swoon, after I
had spoken to you in the butler's room, showed me that you were carrying
a burden too heavy for your strength. Finally, this afternoon, you drove
to the main telegraph office in the city, as you thought that it would
be safer to telegraph Mr. Thorne from there. Your telegram was very
cleverly written. But you might have spared the last sentence, the
request that Mr. Thorne should get the Viennese papers of these last
days. Believe me, he has already read these papers. Who could be more
interested in what they have to tell than he?"

The housekeeper had sat as if frozen to stone during Muller's long
speech. Her face was ashen and her eyes wild with horror. When the
detective ceased speaking, there was dead silence in the room for some
time. Finally Muller asked: "Is this what happened?" His voice was
cutting and the glance of his eyes keen and sharp.

Mrs. Bernauer trembled. Her head sank on her breast. Muller waited a
moment more and then he said quietly: "Then it is true."

"Yes, it is true," came the answer in a low hoarse tone.

Again there was silence for an appreciable interval.

"If you had been faithful to your mistress as well, if you had not
spied up