bout him, and the
talk that she had overheard between Fabry and Mombleux, who were men
able to judge character, she felt that she could not believe in him. He
was not sincere. He wanted to make her talk, and he would attempt any
deceit and hypocrisy to gain his object.

M. Vulfran had told her that if she were questioned she must not let
anyone know the contents of the letter. Evidently he had foreseen what
might happen. She must obey him.

Talouel, leaning on her desk, fixed his eyes on her face. She needed all
her courage; it seemed as though he were trying to hypnotize her. In a
hoarse voice which betrayed her emotion, but which did not tremble,
however, she said:

"Monsieur Vulfran forbade me to speak of this letter to anyone."

Her determined attitude made him furious, but controlling himself, he
leaned over her again and said gently, but firmly: "Yes, of course; but
then I'm not anyone. I am his other self."

She did not reply.

"Are you a fool?" he cried at last in a stifled voice.

"Perhaps I am," she said.

"Well, then, understand," he said, roughly, "you'd better show some
intelligence if you want to hold this job that M. Vulfran has given you.
If you haven't any intelligence you can't hold the job, and instead of
protecting you, as I intended, it will be my duty to pack you off ...
fire you! Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, think about it; think what your position is today and think what
it will be tomorrow, turned out in the streets; then let me know what
you decide to do. Tell me this evening."

Then as she showed no signs of weakening, he went out of the room with
the same gliding step with which he had entered.

CHAPTER XXII

A CABLE TO DACCA

M. Vulfran was waiting for her. She had no time to think over what
Talouel had threatened. She went on with her translation, hoping that
her emotion would die down and leave her in a state better able to come
to a decision as to what she should do. She continued to write:

"So much time has elapsed since the marriage of your son, M. Edmond
Paindavoine, that I have had some difficulty in getting together the
facts. It was our own Father Leclerc who performed this marriage.

"The lady who became your son's wife was endowed with the finest womanly
qualities. She was upright, kind, charming; added to these qualities,
she was gifted with remarkable personal charms. The time is past when
all the knowledge the Hindu woman possessed consisted i