I know nothing of Madame Duclos or of her self-inflicted
death, beyond what has appeared in the papers."

"The papers! An uncertain guide, Mr. Roberts. You may not believe it,"
Coroner Price remarked with a strange sort of smile, "but there are
secrets known to this office, as well as to Police Headquarters, which
never get into the most enterprising journals."

Was this meant to startle the director, and did it succeed in doing so?

It may have startled him, but if so, he made no betrayal of the fact. His
manner continued to be perfectly natural and his voice under full control
as he replied that it would be strange if in a case like this they should
give out all the extraneous facts and possible clues which might be
gathered in by their detectives.

This was carrying the offense into the enemy's camp with a vengeance. But
the Coroner was saved replying by Mr. Roberts remarking:

"But this is not an answer to my question. Why should the Coroner of
Greene County want to see _me_?"

Coroner Price proffered him a cigar, during the lighting of which the
former remarked:

"It's certainly very odd. You say that you didn't know Madame Duclos."

"No; how should I? She was a foreigner, was she not?"

"Yes; a Frenchwoman, both by birth and marriage. Her husband, a professor
of languages, was located some sixteen years ago, in New Orleans."

"I never knew him. Indeed, I find it hard to understand why I should be
expected to show any interest in him or his wife."

"Well, I will tell you. You may not have known the Madame; but it is very
certain that she knew you."

"She?" This certainly unexpected blow seemed to make some impression.
"Will you give me your reasons for such an assertion? Was the name
Duclos a false one? Was her name like that of her daughter, Willetts? If
so, allow me to assure you that I never heard of a Willetts any more than
I have of a Duclos. That a woman of whatever name and nationality should
desert her child fills me with horror. I cannot speak of her, dead though
she be, with any equanimity. A mother and act as she did! She herself was
to blame, and only she for what happened to that beautiful girl--so
young--so sweet--so innocent. I have a weakness for youth. To me a girl
of that type is sacred. Had I been blessed with such a child----But
there, I am straying again from our point. What makes you say Madame
Duclos knew me?"

Before replying, the Coroner rose, and taking a small package from