“There, now we’re ready. I’ll pack up your old things for you. Or perhaps we can make a deal for them. I pay the highest prices in the city,” said Goldstamm, with an apparent eagerness which he hoped would deceive the customer.
But the man had already turned towards the door, and called hack over his shoulder: “You can keep the old things, I don’t want them.”
As he spoke he opened the door of the store and stood face to face with a policeman holding a revolver. He turned, with a curse, back into the room, but the dealer was nowhere to be seen. David Goldstamm had done his duty to the public, in spite of his fear. Now, seeing that the police had arrived, he could think of his duty to his family. This duty was plainly to save his own life, and when the tramp turned again to look for him, he had disappeared out of the back door.
“Not a move or I will shoot,” cried the policeman, and now two others appeared behind him, and came into the store. But the tramp made no attempt to escape. He stood pale and trembling while they put the handcuffs on him, and let them take him away without any resistance. He was put on the evening express for Vienna, and taken to Police Headquarters in that city. He made no protest nor any attempt to escape, but he refused to utter a word on the entire journey.
CHAPTER VI. ALMOST CONVICTED
The evening was already far gone when Muller entered Riedau’s office.
“You’re in time, the man isn’t here yet. The train is evidently late,” said the commissioner. “We’re working this case off quickly. We will have the murderer here in half an hour at the latest. He did not have much time to enjoy the stolen property. He was here in Vienna this morning, and was arrested in Pressburg this afternoon. Here is the telegram, read it.”
Dr. von Riedau handed Muller the message. The commissioner was evidently pleased and excited. The telegram read as follows: “Man arrested here in possession of described purse containing four ten gulden notes and four guldens in silver. Arrested in store of second-hand clothes dealer Goldstamm. Will arrive this evening in Vienna under guard.”
The message was signed by the Chief of the Pressburg police.