almost harsh.

"You can leave that to me," answered the detective calmly. "And you will
please place yourself behind Mr. Varna's chair, not behind mine. It is
your eyes that are making him uneasy."

The attendant was alarmed and lost control of himself for a moment.
"Sir!" he exclaimed in an outburst.

"My name is Muller, in case you do not know it already, Joseph Muller,
detective. Gyuri Kovacz, you will do what I tell you to! I am master
here just now. Is it not so, doctor?"

"Yes, it is so," said the doctor.

"What does this mean?" murmured Gyuri, turning pale.

"It means that the best thing for you to do is to stand up against that
wall and fold your arms on your breast," said Muller firmly. He took a
revolver from his pocket and laid it beside him on the turning-lathe.
The young giant, cowed by the sight of the weapon, obeyed the commands
of this little man whom he could have easily crushed with a single blow.

Dr. Orszay sank down on the chair beside the door. Muller, now
completely master of the situation, turned to the insane man who stood
looking at him in a surprise which was mingled with admiration.

"And now, my dear Cardillac, you must tell us of your great deeds here,"
said the detective in a friendly tone.

The unfortunate man bent over him with shining eyes and whispered: "But
you'll shoot him first, won't you?"

"Why should I shoot him?"

"Because he won't let me say a word without beating me. He is so cruel.
He sticks pins into me if I don't do what he wants."

"Why didn't you tell the doctor?"

"Gyuri would have treated me worse than ever then. I am a coward, sir,
I'm so afraid of pain and he knew that--he knew that I was afraid of
being hurt and that I'd always do what he asked of me. And because I
don't like to be hurt myself I always finished them off quickly."

"Finished who?"

"Why, there was Red Betty, he wanted her money."

"Who wanted it?"

"Gyuri."

The man at the wall moved when he heard this terrible accusation. But
the detective took up his revolver again. "Be quiet there!" he called,
with a look such as he might have thrown at an angry dog. Gyuri stood
quiet again but his eyes shot flames and great drops stood out on his
forehead.

"Now go on, friend Cardillac," continued the detective. "We were talking
about Red Betty."

"I strangled her. She did not even know she was dying. She was such a
weak old woman, it really couldn't have hurt her."

"No, certainly not