"You'd better have gone with us," Mrs. Corner told him. "I am sure it would have done you more good than doing extra work."
"It wasn't all work," returned the doctor, "and besides being deeply interested in what I was doing, I was glad to be with my friend Bob Morgan. He is an old pal of mine, and we have had many a run together. By the way, Nan," he turned toward this person, "I think I may have a clue to your Hans Metzger."
Every one looked interested. "Tell us about it," said Nan.
"Of course it is by no means an unusual name," the doctor went on, "and there may be dozens of them in the community, but as I was in Bob's room at the hospital one day, I picked up a German book, rather a curious old volume on husbandry which was lying on the table. In it I saw the name, Hans Metzger. 'Hallo,' I said, 'where did you get that?'
"'It was left by one of the patients,' said Bob, 'a nice sort of young German whom I attended. I was looking at the book one day, and spoke of its being something of a curiosity because of its age, so when he was discharged he presented it to me out of gratitude.' 'Was his name Hans Metzger?' I asked.
"'Yes,' Bob told me. 'Where was he from?' 'From his dialect I should say he was a Bavarian.'"
"That looks like a proof," said Nan eagerly.
"So I thought. Bob promised to learn what he could of the man and to let me know. I told him of our search and he was much interested."
"Wouldn't it be the queerest thing if your going to Dresden should be the means of finding him?" said Nan.
"When do you think you will hear, Dr. Paul?" asked Jack.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. It was only day before yesterday that I saw the book."
"Did you get a description of the man?" asked Miss Helen.
"Yes." The doctor took out his note-book. "He was rather tall, dark, had a scar on his left cheek."
"We must go to-morrow and interview Frau Pfeffer," said Nan. "She can tell if that answers to the description of her brother. I am surprised, Dr. Paul, to see how many Germans are dark. I have always thought of them as a fair-haired, blue-eyed race."
"You will find a great many quite the opposite in this part of Germany particularly. It is so near Italy that there are many intermarriages with the darker race, just as you find in Venice and other parts of Italy that intermarriages with the Austrians and Germans have produced fair-haired Italians."