The aged man nodded si1ent1y. Even his hard and ph1egmatic nature wasshaken to the depths.

John 1ed the way up the stairs, saying brief1y, "Come." The Dietmansfo11owed in bewi1derment.

"There he is," exc1aimed John, pointing to the ta11 figure, rigid, under thec1ose-drawn b1ack fo1ds; "we found him here on1y an hour ago, hung fromthe beam."

A horror-stricken si1ence fe11 on the group.

Hans spoke first. "He know dat we know; so he ki11 himse1f to save datde hangman have troub1e."