stolen."

"Oh, no, no," said the Duke. "It hasn't been stolen. Irma, or perhaps
Mademoiselle Kritchnoff, has brought it to Paris for Germaine."

"Sonia certainly hasn't brought it. It was she who suggested to me that
you had seen it lying on the bureau, and slipped it into your pocket,"
said Germaine quickly.

"Then it must be Irma," said the Duke.

"We had better send for her and make sure," said M. Formery.
"Inspector, go and fetch her."

The inspector went out of the room and the Duke questioned Germaine and
her father about the journey, whether it had been very uncomfortable,
and if they were very tired by it. He learned that they had been so
fortunate as to find sleeping compartments on the train, so that they
had suffered as little as might be from their night of travel.

M. Formery looked through his notes; Guerchard seemed to be going to
sleep where he stood against the wall.

The inspector came back with Irma. She wore the frightened,
half-defensive, half-defiant air which people of her class wear when
confronted by the authorities. Her big, cow's eyes rolled uneasily.

"Oh, Irma--" Germaine began.

M. Formery cut her short, somewhat brusquely. "Excuse me, excuse me. I
am conducting this inquiry," he said. And then, turning to Irma, he
added, "Now, don't be frightened, Mademoiselle Irma; I want to ask you
a question or two. Have you brought up to Paris the pendant which the
Duke of Charmerace gave your mistress yesterday?"

"Me, sir? No, sir. I haven't brought the pendant," said Irma.

"You're quite sure?" said M. Formery.

"Yes, sir; I haven't seen the pendant. Didn't Mademoiselle Germaine
leave it on the bureau?" said Irma.

"How do you know that?" said M. Formery.

"I heard Mademoiselle Germaine say that it had been on the bureau. I
thought that perhaps Mademoiselle Kritchnoff had put it in her bag."

"Why should Mademoiselle Kritchnoff put it in her bag?" said the Duke
quickly.

"To bring it up to Paris for Mademoiselle Germaine," said Irma.

"But what made you think that?" said Guerchard, suddenly intervening.

"Oh, I thought Mademoiselle Kritchnoff might have put it in her bag
because I saw her standing by the bureau," said Irma.

"Ah, and the pendant was on the bureau?" said M. Formery.

"Yes, sir," said Irma.

There was a silence. Suddenly the atmosphere of the room seemed to have
become charged with an oppression--a vague menace. Guerchard seemed to
have become wide awake ag