?"

The professor looked sadly at Monsieur Robert Darzac.

"To my friend here, whom I should have been happy to call my son--to
Monsieur Robert Darzac."

"Mademoiselle Stangerson is much better and is rapidly recovering
from her wounds. The marriage is simply delayed, is it not, Monsieur?"
insisted the Chief of the Surete.

"I hope so.

"What! Is there any doubt about that?"

Monsieur Stangerson did not answer. Monsieur Robert Darzac seemed
agitated. I saw that his hand trembled as it fingered his watchchain.
Monsieur Dax coughed, as did Monsieur de Marquet. Both were evidently
embarrassed.

"You understand, Monsieur Stangerson," he said, "that in an affair so
perplexing as this, we cannot neglect anything; we must know all,
even the smallest and seemingly most futile thing concerning the
victim--information apparently the most insignificant. Why do you doubt
that this marriage will take place? You expressed a hope; but the hope
implies a doubt. Why do you doubt?"

Monsieur Stangerson made a visible effort to recover himself.

"Yes, Monsieur," he said at length, "you are right. It will be best that
you should know something which, if I concealed it, might appear to be
of importance; Monsieur Darzac agrees with me in this."

Monsieur Darzac, whose pallor at that moment seemed to me to be
altogether abnormal, made a sign of assent. I gathered he was unable to
speak.

"I want you to know then," continued Monsieur Stangerson, "that my
daughter has sworn never to leave me, and adheres firmly to her oath,
in spite of all my prayers and all that I have argued to induce her
to marry. We have known Monsieur Robert Darzac many years. He loves
my child; and I believed that she loved him; because she only recently
consented to this marriage which I desire with all my heart. I am an old
man, Monsieur, and it was a happy hour to me when I knew that, after I
had gone, she would have at her side, one who loved her and who would
help her in continuing our common labours. I love and esteem Monsieur
Darzac both for his greatness of heart and for his devotion to science.
But, two days before the tragedy, for I know not what reason, my
daughter declared to me that she would never marry Monsieur Darzac."

A dead silence followed Monsieur Stangerson's words. It was a moment
fraught with suspense.

"Did Mademoiselle give you any explanation,--did she tell you what her
motive was?" asked Monsieur Dax.

"She told me she was to