"Casimir asked him for it, I believe."

Had any one inquired the reason of this semi-official examination, the
magistrate would have replied that Mademoiselle Marguerite's interests
alone influenced him in the course he was taking. This was quite true;
and yet, without being altogether conscious of the fact, he was also
impelled by another motive. This affair interested, almost fascinated,
him on account of its mysterious surroundings, and influenced by the
desire for arriving at the truth which is inherent in every human heart,
he was anxious to solve the riddle. After a few moments' thoughtful
silence, he remarked: "So the point of departure in our investigation,
if there is an investigation, will be this: M. de Chalusse left the
house with two millions in his possession; and while he was absent, he
either disposed of that enormous sum--or else it was stolen from him."

Mademoiselle Marguerite shuddered. "Oh! stolen," she faltered.

"Yes, my child--anything is possible. We must consider the situation in
every possible light. But to continue. Where was M. de Chalusse going?"

"To the house of a gentleman who would, he thought, be able to furnish
the address given in the letter he had torn up."

"What was this gentleman's name?"

"Fortunat."

The magistrate wrote the name down on his tablets, and then, resuming
his examination, he said: "Now, in reference to this unfortunate letter
which, in your opinion, was the cause of the count's death, what did it
say?"

"I don't know, monsieur. It is true that I helped the count in
collecting the fragments, but I did not read what was written on them."

"That is of little account. The main thing is to ascertain who wrote
the letter. You told me that it could only have come from the sister who
disappeared thirty years ago, or else from your mother."

"That was, and still is, my opinion."

The magistrate toyed with his ring; and a smile of satisfaction stole
over his face. "Very well!" he exclaimed, "in less than five minutes
I shall be able to tell you whether the letter was from your mother
or not. My method is perfectly simple. I have only to compare the
handwriting with that of the letters found in the escritoire."

Mademoiselle Marguerite sprang up, exclaiming: "What a happy idea!"

But without seeming to notice the girl's surprise, he added: "Where are
the remnants of this letter which you and the count picked up in the
garden?"

"M. de Chalusse placed them