At this moment there was an urgent call from Constance. “The man under observation brought the young fellows in his company to the station at 3:16 p.m. The Offenburg express is due to leave at 3:36. It is uncertain which of the party will travel by it; some have hand luggage, and the others none, and it is not yet ascertainable whether the suspected man will accompany them. One of them bought seven tickets for Offenburg, but the party consists of eight, and one among them looks different and has never been seen here before. It is possible that he may be the leader of the expedition, and in the service of the French. How are we to proceed?”
“Have three plainclothes police ready. If the eight go by train, let these three go too. If one or more stay behind, let one of the men be left too, so that those remaining are not allowed out of sight. They may be travelling by separate routes.”
The telephone official repeated the order given.
“Good. Arrange to speak to me immediately after the departure of the express. Ring off.”
Wenk asked to be connected with Offenburg, and in five minutes he was able to get on to the police there.
“Seven, or possibly eight, men are arriving by the express from Constance. Plainclothes men are in the same train. See that sixteen armed police are in readiness at the station. It is probable that the travellers will have passes to Alsace. They are forged. … When you arrest the men, be careful to avoid observation, and the only information to be given to the Press is that it was a case of Germans having been enticed into the Foreign Legion; and mind you state expressly that they will be at once set free and returned to their homes. You will know nothing about the forged passports. In case there is a man of the name of Poldringer or Hinrichsen among them, let him be separated from the rest and kept in close custody.”
Shortly after Constance telephoned again: “Seven men have left. It is Poldringer who stayed behind; he went to the Black Bull, and is under observation there.”
“Good. Thank you. Please ring up here again at seven o’clock, and should anything important occur in the meantime, notify the Criminal Investigation Department.”
Then Wenk had to hurry, so that he might call for the Countess at the prison at four o’clock. It was then half-past three, and he was alone in the house. He telephoned for his car, and just as he was going downstairs he heard a knock at the front door. He opened it.
An elderly man was standing there. His figure was bent, and he had a bushy snow-white beard, red cheeks and blue eyes.
“Herr von Wenk?” he inquired courteously.
“Please come in,” answered the lawyer, “but I am sorry to say that I am just going out on urgent official business.”
“I will not detain you a moment,” said the other. “My name is Hull, and I am the father of the murdered man!”
Wenk bowed, and led the way to his office.
“Herr von Wenk, I have been told that you are conducting this inquiry. Edgar was my only son, and I brought him up badly, for my whole time was given to my business, and I had vast interests. My wife died when he was but a child. I think many sons in our days have had a similar experience.” He spoke evenly, almost harshly. “But that does not free me from blame. Our sons were our pleasure, our business our duty. It would have been better had it been the other way about. I cannot desire such a life as his to be restored, for what I have heard from various sides about the circumstances of the case is sufficient, and I do not wish to know more, but I have allowed myself the liberty of calling upon you for other reasons. My son used to receive an income of ten thousand marks from me each month, and the only wish left me in this unhappy affair is to be able to spend these ten thousand marks as if he were still living, and add another ten thousand to them. I want the money to be used to help men to make good, and how am I to set about this? Can you advise me, sir?”
Wenk answered in a hesitating tone, “I must first of all confess, Herr von Hull, that your words have taken me aback!”
This man’s bearing moved him deeply. Restrained force of character, suppressed paternal grief, unutterable sympathy … everything that had thus unexpectedly been laid bare to him, threw him for the moment somewhat off his balance. “Yes. I don’t know … Herr von Hull, why did you come to me above all men?”
“I can tell you that at once, sir. It is your task to bring the murderers to justice, and I should like to replace with something that is beneficial the harm that has been done by one of my house. I should like the recollection of my son to bear good fruit. I have had nothing of his life, but perchance his death may yield something that may plead for me in eternity.” His voice remained firm until the last word had been uttered. “But I must not forget that you are in a hurry,” he continued. “Perhaps it is this same unhappy affair which prevents your giving me any more time now?”
“You are right,” said the lawyer.
“Can I see you tomorrow or some other day, when we
