that I am made of
fierier material. Why, madam, a blow like this would set a frog into a
transpiration. If you are cold, you can retire; and, by the way, you
might throw me down my trousers. It is chilly for the legs.'

'Oh, no!' protested Anastasie; 'I will stay with you.'

'Nay, madam, you shall not suffer for your devotion,' said the Doctor. 'I
will myself fetch you a shawl.' And he went upstairs and returned more
fully clad and with an armful of wraps for the shivering Anastasie. 'And
now,' he resumed, 'to investigate this crime. Let us proceed by
induction. Anastasie, do you know anything that can help us?' Anastasie
knew nothing. 'Or you, Jean-Marie?'

'Not I,' replied the boy steadily.

'Good,' returned the Doctor. 'We shall now turn our attention to the
material evidences. (I was born to be a detective; I have the eye and
the systematic spirit.) First, violence has been employed. The door was
broken open; and it may be observed, in passing, that the lock was dear
indeed at what I paid for it: a crow to pluck with Master Goguelat.
Second, here is the instrument employed, one of our own table-knives, one
of our best, my dear; which seems to indicate no preparation on the part
of the gang--if gang it was. Thirdly, I observe that nothing has been
removed except the Franchard dishes and the casket; our own silver has
been minutely respected. This is wily; it shows intelligence, a
knowledge of the code, a desire to avoid legal consequences. I argue
from this fact that the gang numbers persons of respectability--outward,
of course, and merely outward, as the robbery proves. But I argue,
second, that we must have been observed at Franchard itself by some
occult observer, and dogged throughout the day with a skill and patience
that I venture to qualify as consummate. No ordinary man, no occasional
criminal, would have shown himself capable of this combination. We have
in our neighbourhood, it is far from improbable, a retired bandit of the
highest order of intelligence.'

'Good heaven!' cried the horrified Anastasie. 'Henri, how can you?'

'My cherished one, this is a process of induction,' said the Doctor. 'If
any of my steps are unsound, correct me. You are silent? Then do not, I
beseech you, be so vulgarly illogical as to revolt from my conclusion. We
have now arrived,' he resumed, 'at some idea of the composition of the
gang--for I incline to the hypothesis of more than one--and we now