If the murderer put the barrel of his pistol to this open part of the keyhole, the bullet would have to strike exactly where the dead man sat.There would be no need to take any particular aim."Muller gazed into space like a seer before whose mental eye a vision has arisen, and continued in level tones: "Fellner had refused the duel and the murderer was crazed by his desire for revenge.He came here to the house, he must have known just how to enter the place, how to reach the rooms, and he must have known also, that the Professor, coward as he was - ""Coward? Is a man a coward when he refuses to stand up to a maniac?"interrupted Bauer.
Muller came back to the present with a start and said calmly, "Fellner was a coward.""Then you know more than you are telling me now?"Muller nodded."Yes, I do," he answered with a smile."But I will tell you more only when I have all the proofs in my own hand.""And the criminal will escape us in the meantime.""He has no idea that he is suspected."
"But - you'll promise to be sensible this time, Muller?""Yes.But you will pardon me my present reticence, even towards you? I - I don't want to be thought a dreamer again.""As in the Kniepp case?"
"As in the Kniepp case," repeated the little man with a strange smile."So please allow me to go about it in my own way.I will tell you all you want to know to-morrow.""To-morrow, then."
"May I now continue to unfold my theories?" Bauer nodded and Muller continued: "The criminal wanted Fellner's blood, no matter how.""Even if it meant murder," said Bauer.
Muller nodded calmly."It would have been nobler, perhaps, to have warned his victim of his approach, but it might have all come to nothing then.The other could have called for help, could have barricaded himself in his room, one crime might have been prevented, and another, more shameful one, would have gone unavenged.""Another crime? Fellner a criminal?"
"To-morrow you shall know everything, my kind friend.And now, let us make the trial.Please lock the door behind me as it was locked then."Muller left the room, taking the pistol with him.Bauer locked the door."Is this right?" he asked.
"Yes, I can see a wide curve of the room, taking in the entire desk.
Please stand to one side now."
There was deep silence for a moment, then a slight sound as of metal on metal, then a report, and Muller re-entered the study through the bedroom.He found Bauer stooping over the picture of the French soldier.There was a hole in the left breast, where the bullet, passing through, had buried itself in the back of the chair.
"Yes, it was all just as you said," began the chief of police, holding out his hand to Muller."But - why the golden bullet?""To-morrow, to-morrow," replied the detective, looking up at his superior with a glance of pleading.
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 particularly anxious that the work should be done in two days at the very latest, and also that the new ring, in form, colour, and in the engraving on the inside, should be a perfect counterpart of the first.He explained his order by saying that his wife was ill, and that she was grieving over the loss of her wedding ring which had somehow disappeared.The new ring could be found somewhere as if by chance and the sick woman's anxiety would be over.Two days later, as arranged, the same gentleman appeared again and I handed him the two rings.
"He left the shop, greatly satisfied with my work and apparently much relieved in his mind.But he left me uneasy in spirit because I had deceived him.It had not been possible for me to reproduce exactly the composition of the original ring, and as I believed that the work was to be done in order to comfort an invalid, and I was getting no profit, but on the contrary a little extra work out of it, I made two new rings, lettered them according to the original and gave them to my customer.The original ring I am now, on this seventh day of December, giving to Mr.Joseph Mullet, who has shown me his legitimation as a member of the Secret Police.I am willing to put myself at the service of the authorities if I am called for.""You are willing to do this, aren't you?" asked Muller when the goldsmith had arrived at the end of the notice.
"Of course."
"Have you anything to add to this?"
"No, it is quite complete.I will sign it at once."Several hours later, Muller re-entered the police station in his home town and saw the windows of the chief's apartment brilliantly lighted."What's going on," he asked of Baner's servant who was just hurrying up the stairs.
