Part 46

“Do you know who is living there?”

“For the last thirty years an old maid has been living there. There certainly is no connection between the two villas.”

They strolled back along the road.

“If you would like to go to sleep, Schmied, I have no objection. I know what I’ve to look out for now.”

“Well, I really should be glad to, sir, for last night I got no sleep, and I must be out there again before four o’clock.”

“I understand. Well then, good-night....”

Wenk continued his patrol throughout the whole of the spring night, but nothing happened, and he noticed nothing out of the common. Next morning he repaired to the hotel at Lindau, the address of which he had notified before leaving Munich. The director told him he had been rung up from Munich, and his man wanted him to know that Count Told most earnestly desired to speak to him as soon as possible. The call had come from his home at Munich. He seemed to be greatly agitated, and begged the man to telephone the message on.

Wenk returned to Munich and rang up the Count, but an unfamiliar voice informed him that the Count had started on a journey.

“Did he leave no message for me?” said Wenk.

“No.”

“Where has he gone?”

“He left no address. Please ring off.”

Wenk was thoroughly perplexed.

That same morning Mabuse had visited Told. “You are not so well, I can see,” said he to him. “Your pupils are very much dilated.”

“Is that a sign...?” said Told hesitatingly.

“Yes. Don’t talk about your state; put it entirely out of your head. Where is your wife?”

The startled Count could not venture on an answer.

“Your wife did not want to live with you any more--never any more!” went on the Doctor harshly. “That is so, isn’t it? You must destroy the past, break off all relation to it. Call your man here!”

Told rang, and the man came. The Count, with a gesture, referred him to the doctor.

“Has anybody telephoned?”

“No, Doctor.”

“Has anyone rung up from here?”

“I did,” answered Told.

“Whom?”

“Dr. von Wenk.”

“Why?”

“I wanted to speak to him.”

“What did you want to say?”