ine it
more closely.

What he had seen was something unusual about one of the silver
candlesticks. These candlesticks had three feet, and five of them were
placed in such a way that the two front feet were turned toward the
spectator. But on the end candlestick nearest Muller the single foot
projected out to the front of the altar. This candlestick therefore had
been set down hastily, not placed carefully in the order of things as
were the others.

And not only this. The heavy wax candle which was in the candlestick
was burned down about a finger's breadth more than the others, for
these were all exactly of a height. Muller bent still nearer to the
candlestick, but he saw that the dim light in the church was not
sufficient. He went to one of the smaller side altars, took a candle
from there, lit it with one of the matches that he found in his own
pocket and returned with the burning candle to the main altar. The steps
leading up to this altar were covered by a large rug with a white ground
and a pattern of flowers. Looking carefully at it the detective saw a
tiny brown spot, the mark of a burn, upon one of the white surfaces.
Beside it lay a half used match.

Walking around this carefully, Muller approached the candlestick that
interested him and holding up his light he examined every inch of its
surface. He found what he was looking for. There were dark red spots
between the rough edges of the silver ornamentation.

"Then the body is somewhere around here," thought the detective and came
down from the steps, still holding the burning candle.

He walked slowly to the back of the altar. There was a little table
there such as held the sacred dishes for the communion service, and the
little carpet-covered steps which the sexton put out for the pastor when
he took the monstrance from the high-built tabernacle. That was all that
was to be seen in the dark corner behind the altar. Holding his candle
close to the floor Muller discovered an iron ring fastened to one of the
big stone flags. This must be the entrance to the crypt.

Muller tried to raise the flag and was astonished to find how easily
it came up. It was a square of reddish marble, the same with which the
entire floor of the church was tiled. This flag was very thin and could
easily be raised and placed back against the wall. Muller took up his
candle, too greatly excited to stop to get a stick for it. He felt
assured that now he would soon be able to solve a