sk M. Gournay-Martin; he'll--"

"Be so good as to keep quiet, my good woman," said M. Formery; and,
turning to her husband, he went on: "At your first conviction you were
sentenced to a day's imprisonment with costs; at your second conviction
you got three days' imprisonment."

"I'm not going to deny it, sir," said the concierge; "but it was an
honourable imprisonment."

"Honourable?" said M. Formery.

"The first time, I was a gentleman's servant, and I got a day's
imprisonment for crying, 'Hurrah for the General Strike!'--on the first
of May."

"You were a valet? In whose service?" said M. Formery.

"In the service of M. Genlis, the Socialist leader."

"And your second conviction?" said M. Formery.

"It was for having cried in the porch of Ste. Clotilde, 'Down with the
cows!'--meaning the police, sir," said the concierge.

"And were you in the service of M. Genlis then?" said M. Formery.

"No, sir; I was in the service of M. Bussy-Rabutin, the Royalist
deputy."

"You don't seem to have very well-defined political convictions," said
M. Formery.

"Oh, yes, sir, I have," the concierge protested. "I'm always devoted to
my masters; and I have the same opinions that they have--always."

"Very good; you can go," said M. Formery.

The concierge and his wife left the room, looking as if they did not
quite know whether to feel relieved or not.

"Those two fools are telling the exact truth, unless I'm very much
mistaken," said M. Formery.

"They look honest enough people," said the Duke.

"Well, now to examine the rest of the house," said M. Formery.

"I'll come with you, if I may," said the Duke.

"By all means, by all means," said M. Formery.

"I find it all so interesting," said the Duke,

CHAPTER X

GUERCHARD ASSISTS

Leaving a policeman on guard at the door of the drawing-room M.
Formery, the Duke, and the inspector set out on their tour of
inspection. It was a long business, for M. Formery examined every room
with the most scrupulous care--with more care, indeed, than he had
displayed in his examination of the drawing-rooms. In particular he
lingered long in the bedroom of Victoire, discussing the possibilities
of her having been murdered and carried away by the burglars along with
their booty. He seemed, if anything, disappointed at finding no
blood-stains, but to find real consolation in the thought that she
might have been strangled. He found the inspector in entire agreement
with e