expression in the face of the man who had just had such an accusation hurled at him. Even the clerk and the two policemen at the door were interested to see what would happen.
Knoll’s calm impertinence vanished, a deadly pallor spread over his face, and he seemed frozen to stone. He attempted to speak, but was not able to control his voice. His hands were clenched and tremors shook his gaunt but strong-muscled frame.
“When did I murder anybody?” he gasped finally in a hoarse croak. “You’ll have to prove it to me that I am a murderer.”
“That is easily proved. Here is one of the proofs,” said Riedan coldly, pointing to the purse. “The purse and the watch of the murdered man are fatal witnesses against you.”
“The watch? I haven’t any watch. Where should I get a watch?”
“You didn’t have one until Monday, possibly; I can believe that. But you were in possession of a watch between the evening of Monday, the 27th, and the morning of Wednesday, the 29th.”
Knoll’s eyes dropped again and he did not trust himself to speak.
“Well, you do not deny this statement?”
“No, I can’t,” said Knoll, still trying to control his voice. “You must have the watch yourself now, or else you wouldn’t be so certain about it.”
“Ah, you see, I thought you’d had experience with police courts before,” said the commissioner amiably. “Of course I have the watch already. The man whom you sold it to this morning knew by three o’clock this afternoon where this watch came from. He brought it here at once and gave us your description. A very exact description. The man will be brought here to identify you to-morrow. We must send for him anyway, to return his money to him. He paid you fifty-two gulden for the watch. And how much money was in the purse that you took from the murdered man?”
“Three gulden eighty-five.”
“That was a very small sum for which to commit a murder.”
Knoll groaned and bit his lips until they bled.
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