ant, showing a joy as of a dog that
had at last got its prey.

Pointing to the railway servant, Monsieur de Marquet said to Monsieur
Darzac:

"Do you recognise this man, Monsieur?"

"I do," said Monsieur Darzac, in a tone which he vainly tried to make
firm. "He is an employe at the station at Epinay-sur-Orge."

"This young man," went on Monsieur de Marquet, "affirms that he saw you
get off the train at Epinay-sur-Orge--"

"That night," said Monsieur Darzac, interrupting, "at half-past ten--it
is quite true."

An interval of silence followed.

"Monsieur Darzac," the magistrate went on in a tone of deep emotion,
"Monsieur Darzac, what were you doing that night, at Epinay-sur-Orge--at
that time?"

Monsieur Darzac remained silent, simply closing his eyes.

"Monsieur Darzac," insisted Monsieur de Marquet, "can you tell me how
you employed your time, that night?"

Monsieur Darzac opened his eyes. He seemed to have recovered his
self-control.

"No, Monsieur."

"Think, Monsieur! For, if you persist in your strange refusal, I shall
be under the painful necessity of keeping you at my disposition."

"I refuse."

"Monsieur Darzac!--in the name of the law, I arrest you!"

The magistrate had no sooner pronounced the words than I saw
Rouletabille move quickly towards Monsieur Darzac. He would certainly
have spoken to him, but Darzac, by a gesture, held him off. As the
gendarme approached his prisoner, a despairing cry rang through the
room:

"Robert!--Robert!"

We recognised the voice of Mademoiselle Stangerson. We all shuddered.
Larsan himself turned pale. Monsieur Darzac, in response to the cry, had
flown back into the room.

The magistrate, the gendarme, and Larsan followed closely after.
Rouletabille and I remained on the threshold. It was a heart-breaking
sight that met our eyes. Mademoiselle Stangerson, with a face of deathly
pallor, had risen on her bed, in spite of the restraining efforts of two
doctors and her father. She was holding out her trembling arms towards
Robert Darzac, on whom Larsan and the gendarme had laid hands. Her
distended eyes saw--she understood--her lips seemed to form a word, but
nobody made it out; and she fell back insensible.

Monsieur Darzac was hurried out of the room and placed in the vestibule
to wait for the vehicle Larsan had gone to fetch. We were all overcome
by emotion and even Monsieur de Marquet had tears in his eyes.
Rouletabille took advantage of the opportunity