He continued: "I forgot to tell you that your minister has deceived us."

"How?"

He gave her a detailed account of the combination prepared by Laroche
and Walter. When he concluded she asked: "How did you know that?"

He replied: "Pardon me if I do not tell you! You have your means of
obtaining information into which I do not inquire; I have mine which I
desire to keep. I can vouch at any rate for the truth of my statements."

She muttered: "It may be possible. I suspected that they were doing
something without our knowledge."

As she spoke Georges drew near her; she paid no heed to his proximity,
however, and turning toward the wall, he closed his eyes and fell
asleep.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE WILL

The church was draped in black, and over the door a large escutcheon
surmounted by a coronet announced to the passers-by that a nobleman was
being buried. The ceremony was just over; those present went out
slowly, passing by the coffin, and by Count de Vaudrec's nephew, who
shook hands and returned salutations.

When Georges du Roy and his wife left the church, they walked along
side by side on their way home. They did not speak; they were both
preoccupied. At length Georges said, as if talking to himself: "Truly
it is very astonishing!"

Madeleine asked: "What, my friend?"

"That Vaudrec left us nothing."

She blushed and said: "Why should he leave us anything? Had he any
reason for doing so?" Then after several moments of silence, she
continued: "Perhaps there is a will at a lawyer's; we should not know
of it."

He replied: "That is possible, for he was our best friend. He dined
with us twice a week; he came at any time; he was at home with us. He
loved you as a father; he had no family, no children, no brothers nor
sisters, only a nephew. Yes, there should be a will. I would not care
for much--a remembrance to prove that he thought of us--that he
recognized the affection we felt for him. We should certainly have a
mark of friendship."

She said with a pensive and indifferent air: "It is possible that there
is a will."

When they entered the house, the footman handed Madeleine a letter. She
opened it and offered it to her husband.

"OFFICE OF M. LAMANEUR,
Notary.
17 Rue des Vosges,"

"Madame: Kindly call at my office at a quarter past two o'clock
Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, on business which concerns
you."

"Yours respectfully,"

"LAMANEUR."

Ge