a note of this: When a man of ordinary intelligence concentrates his
thoughts and energies upon the attainment of an object, he is certain to
obtain ultimate success. Besides that, I have my own method of working
up a case."

"Still I don't see what grounds you had to go upon."

"To be sure, one needs some light to guide one in a dark affair like
this. But the fire in Clameran's eye at the mention of Gaston's name
ignited my lantern. From that moment I walked straight to the solution
of the mystery, as I would walk to a beacon-light on a dark night."

The eager, questioning look of Prosper showed that he would like to know
the secret of his protector's wonderful penetration, and at the same
time be more thoroughly convinced that what he had heard was all
true--that his innocence would be more clearly proved.

"Now confess," cried M. Verduret, "you would give anything in the world
to find out how I discovered the truth?"

"I certainly would, for it is the darkest of mysteries, marvellous!"

M. Verduret enjoyed Prosper's bewilderment. To be sure, he was neither
a good judge nor a distinguished amateur; but he was an astonished
admirer, and sincere admiration is always flattering, no matter whence
it comes.

"Well," he replied, "I will explain my system. There is nothing
marvellous about it as you will soon see. We worked together to find the
solution of the problem, so you know my reasons for suspecting Clameran
as the prime mover in the robbery. As soon as I had acquired this
certainty, my task was easy. You want to know what I did? I placed
trustworthy people to watch the parties in whom I was most interested.
Joseph Dubois took charge of Clameran, and Nina Gypsy never lost sight
of Mme. Fauvel and her niece."

"I cannot comprehend how Nina ever consented to this service."

"That is my secret," replied M. Verduret. "Having the assistance of good
eyes and quick ears on the spot, I went to Beaucaire to inquire into the
past, so as to link it with what I knew of the present. The next day I
was at Clameran; and the first step I took was to find the son of St.
Jean, the old valet. An honest man he was, too; open and simple as
nature herself; and he made a good bargain in selling me his madder."

"Madder?" said Prosper with a puzzled look; "what did you----"

"Of course I wanted to buy his madder. Of course I did not appear to
him as I do to you now. I was a countryman wanting to buy madder; he
had madder for sal