night after my arrival here, and in compliance with my request."

Madame Leon had hitherto been dumb with fear, but, conquering
her weakness, she now decided to draw near and take part in the
conversation. "How can you say that, my dear young lady?" she exclaimed.
"You know that the count--God rest his soul!--was an extremely cautious
man. I am certain that there is a will somewhere."

The magistrate's eyes were fixed on his ring. "It would be well to look,
perhaps, before affixing the seals. You have a right to require this;
so, if you wish----"

But she made no reply.

"Oh, yes!" insisted Madame Leon; "pray look, monsieur."

"But where should we be likely to find a will?"

"Certainly in this room--in this escritoire, or in one of the deceased
count's cabinets."

The magistrate had learnt the story of the key from Bourigeau, but all
the same he asked: "Where is the key to this escritoire?"

"Alas! monsieur," replied Mademoiselle Marguerite, "I broke it last
night when M. de Chalusse was brought home unconscious. I hoped to avert
what has, nevertheless, happened. Besides, I knew that his escritoire
contained something over two millions in gold and bank-notes."

Two millions--there! The occupants of the room stood aghast. Even
the clerk was so startled that he let a blot fall upon his paper. Two
millions! The magistrate was evidently reflecting. "Hum!" he murmured,
meditatively. Then, as if deciding on his course, he exclaimed:

"Let a locksmith be sent for."

A servant went in search of one; and while they were waiting for his
return, the magistrate sat down beside his clerk and talked to him in a
low voice. At last the locksmith appeared, with his bag of tools
hanging over his shoulder, and set to work at once. He found his task
a difficult one. His pick-locks would not catch, and he was talking of
filing the bolt, when, by chance, he found the joint, and the door flew
open. But the escritoire was empty. There were only a few papers, and a
bottle about three-quarters full of a crimson liquid on the shelf. Had
M. de Chalusse rose and shook off his winding sheet, the consternation
would not have been greater. The same instinctive fear thrilled the
hearts of everybody present. An enormous fortune had disappeared. The
same suspicions would rest upon them all. And each servant already saw
himself arrested, imprisoned, and dragged before a law court.

However, anger speedily followed bewilderment, and a furious