," said Muller soothingly, for he saw that the thought
that his victim might have suffered was beginning to make the madman
uneasy. "You needn't worry about that. Old Betty died a quiet death. But
tell me, how did Gyuri know that she had money?"

"The whole village knew it. She laid cards for people and earned a lot
of money that way. She was very stingy and saved every bit. Somebody saw
her counting out her money once, she had it in a big stocking under her
bed. People in the village talked about it. That's how Gyuri heard of
it."

"And so he commanded you to kill Betty and steal her money?"

"Yes. He knew that I loved to give them riddles to guess, just as I did
in Paris so long ago."

"Oh, yes, you're Cardillac, aren't you? And now tell us about the
smith's swineherd."

"You mean Janos? Oh, he was a stupid lout," answered Varna scornfully.

"He had cast an eye on the beautiful Julcsi, Gyuri's mistress, so of
course I had to kill him."

"Did you do that alone?"

"No, Gyuri helped me."

"Why did you cut the bridge supports?"

"Because I enjoy giving people riddles, as I told you. But Gyuri forbade
me to kill people uselessly. I liked the chance of getting out though.
The doctor's so good to me and the others too. Gyuri is good to me
when I have done what he wanted. But you see, Mr. Muller, I am like a
prisoner here and that makes me angry. I made Gyuri let me out nights
sometimes."

"You mean he let you out alone, all alone?"

"Yes, of course, for I threatened to tell the doctor everything if he
didn't."

"You wouldn't have dared do that."

"No, that's true," smiled Varna slyly. "But Gyuri was afraid I might
do it, for he isn't always strong enough to frighten me with his
eyes. Those were the hours when I could make him afraid--I liked those
hours--"

"What did you do when you were out alone at night?"

"I just walked about. I set fire to a tree in the woods once, then the
rain came and put it out. Once I killed a dog and another time I cut
through the bridge supports. That took me several hours to do and made
me very tired. But it was such fun to know that people would be worrying
and fussing about who did it."

Varna rubbed his hands gleefully. He did not look the least bit
malicious but only very much amused. The doctor groaned. Gyuri's great
body trembled, his arms shook, but he did not make a single voluntary
movement. He saw the revolver in Muller's hand and felt the keen grey
eyes resting