"What do you mean by that?"
"Simply this: Not long ago Mrs. Ernst was visited by her brother, August Tepley, of Oxburg, Bavaria. Of course he was hard up and looking out for number one, otherwise he wouldn't have come. By keeping at her, he at last succeeded in inducing his sister to loan him three hundred dollars, and he obtained a good knowledge of her financial affairs.
"It was commonly reported that Mrs. Ernst was worth at least $50,000, and that most of her money was kept hidden about her apartments. Her brother believed this. He knew exactly how she had left her property, and he tried to induce her to change her will in his favor. She did not do so, though I think in time she might.
"But the man was greedy and anxious. As I have just said, he believed the greater part of that $50,000 was in the house. August Strouse was also in the house. Naturally these two met."
"It is said that August Tepley went back to Bavaria, but I have had it hinted to me that he was seen only a few days ago in New York, and, indeed, even nearer than that.
"The other August, the anarchist, went down the road a few evenings since. You can put this and that together as well as I can."
Stricket ceased to speak, and there was profound silence in the little back parlor for some minutes.
At length George Morgan exclaimed:
"Thunder! gentlemen, this case begins to wear a mighty ugly look."
"There does appear to be something pretty black about it," mused Old Spicer, "yes, there does, for a fact." Then abruptly: