"Yes, I believe it is so. Is it not an irony that this man, the
only one whom John really hated, should be the one to avenge him
now?"
"H'm! yes. But did you know of any friends in G--?"
"No, none at all."
"No friends whom he might have made while he was in America and
then met again in Germany?"
"No, he never spoke of any such to me. He told me that he made few
friends. He did not seek them for he was afraid that they might
find out what had happened and turn from him. He was morbidly
sensitive and could not bear the disappointment."
"Why did he return to Germany?"
"He was lonely and wanted to come home again. He had made money
in America--John was very clever and highly educated--but his
heart longed for his own tongue and his own people."
Muller took a folded piece of paper from his pocket. "Do you know
this handwriting?"
Miss Roemer read the few lines hastily and her voice trembled as
she said: "This is John's handwriting. I know it well. This is
the letter that was found on the table?"
"Yes, this letter appears to be the last he had written in life.
Do you know to whom it could have been written? The envelope, as
I suppose you know from the newspaper reports, was not addressed.
Do you know of any friends with whom he could have been on terms
of sufficient intimacy to write such a letter? Do you know what
these plans for the future could have been? It would certainly be
natural that he should have spoken to you first about them.
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