rate gave a start.

"Then I cannot understand why you misled the police. Why conceal an act
which you were lawfully entitled to commit in defense of your life?"

"For twenty years," said M. de Gesvres, "Daval worked by my side. I
trusted him. If he betrayed me, as the result of some temptation or
other, I was, at least, unwilling, for the sake of the past, that his
treachery should become known."

"You were unwilling, I agree, but you had no right to be."

"I am not of your opinion, Monsieur le Juge d'Instruction. As long as
no innocent person was accused of the crime, I was absolutely entitled
to refrain from accusing the man who was at the same time the culprit
and the victim. He is dead. I consider death a sufficient punishment."

"But now, Monsieur le Comte, now that the truth is known, you can
speak."

"Yes. Here are two rough drafts of letters written by him to his
accomplices. I took them from his pocket-book, a few minutes after his
death."

"And the motive of his theft?"

"Go to 18, Rue de la Barre, at Dieppe, which is the address of a
certain Mme. Verdier. It was for this woman, whom he got to know two
years ago, and to supply her constant need of money that Daval turned
thief."

So everything was cleared up. The tragedy rose out of the darkness and
gradually appeared in its true light.

"Let us go on," said M. Filluel after the count had withdrawn.

"Upon my word," said Beautrelet, gaily, "I have said almost all that I
had to say."

"But the runaway, the wounded man?"

"As to that, Monsieur le Juge d'Instruction, you know as much as I do.
You have followed his tracks in the grass by the cloisters--you have--"

"Yes, yes, I know. But, since then, his friends have removed him and
what I want is a clue or two as regards that inn--"

Isidore Beautrelet burst out laughing:

"The inn! The inn does not exist! It's an invention, a trick to put the
police on the wrong scent, an ingenious trick, too, for it seems to
have succeeded."

"But Dr. Delattre declares--"

"Ah, that's just it!" cried Beautrelet, in a tone of conviction. "It is
just because Dr. Delattre declares that we mustn't believe him. Why,
Dr. Delattre refused to give any but the vaguest details concerning his
adventure! He refused to say anything that might compromise his
patient's safety!--And suddenly he calls attention to an inn!--You may
be sure that he talked about that inn because he was told to. You may
be sure that the whol