ronting him.

'The--the--the Baroness de Vibray!' he barely articulated: 'how can it
be possible?'

The superintendent of police did not lose a single movement made by the
young painter, keeping a lynx-eyed watch on every expression that
flitted across his countenance. He said:

'It certainly is the Baroness de Vibray, dead--assassinated, no doubt.
How do you explain that?'

'But,' retorted Jacques Dollon, who appeared overwhelmed: 'I do not
know! I do not understand!'

The magistrate replied:

'Yet, did you not invite her to your studio? Had you not asked her to
come some evening soon? Had you not certain pieces of painted pottery to
show her?'

'That is so,' confessed the painter: 'but I was not aware.... I did not
know....' He seemed about to faint. The doctor made him sit down in the
chair where he had been found unconscious. Whilst he was recovering,
Monsieur Agram continued his investigations. He opened a little
cupboard, in which were several poisonous powders: this was shown by the
writing on the flasks containing them. He spoke to the doctor, taking
care that Jacques Dollon should not overhear him:

'Did you not say that this woman's death is due to poison?'

'It certainly looks like it.... A post-mortem will ...'

_The Arrest_

Interrupting the doctor, Monsieur Agram went up to Jacques Dollon:

'In the exercise of your profession, monsieur, do you not make use of
various poisons, of which you have a reserve supply here?'

'That is so,' confirmed Jacques Dollon, in a faint voice: 'But it is a
very long time since I employed any of them.'

'Very good, monsieur.'

Monsieur Agram now made Madame Beju leave the room. He asked her to
transmit an order to his policemen: they were to drive back the crowd.
Soon a cab brought by a constable entered the Close, and drew up before
the door of Number 6.

Jacques Dollon, supported by two people, descended and entered the cab.

Immediately a rumour spread that he had been arrested.

This rumour was correct.

_Our Inquiry--Silence at Police Headquarters--Probable Motives of
the Crime_

Such are the details referring to this strange affair, which we have
been able to procure from those who were present. But the motives which
determined the arrest of Monsieur Dollon are obscure.

There are, however, two suspicious facts. The first is the puncture made
in Monsieur Jacques Dollon's left leg: this puncture is aggra