ediately sent for the man with whom Crochard had
made the bet about swimming across the Dong-Nai. He came; and--But I
prefer reading you his deposition."

He took from the large bundle of papers a single sheet, and, assuming an
air of great modesty, read the affidavit.

"_Magistrate_.--At what point of the river did Crochard swim across?

"_Witness_.--A little below the town.

"_M_.--Where did he undress?

"_W_.--At the place where he went into the water, just opposite the
tile-factory of M. Wang-Tai.

"_M_.--What did he do with his clothes?

"_W_. (very much surprised).--Nothing.

"_M_.--Excuse me; he must have done something. Try to recollect.

"_W_. (striking his forehead).--Why, yes! I remember now. When Bagnolet
had undressed, I saw he looked annoyed, as if he disliked going into the
water. But no! that was not it. He was afraid about his clothes; and he
did not rest satisfied till I had told him I would keep watch over them.
Now, his clothes consisted of a mean pair of trousers and a miserable
blouse. As they were in my way, I put them down on the ground, at the
foot of a tree. He had in the meantime done his work, and came back;
but, instead of listening to my compliments, he cried furiously,
'My clothes!'--'Well,' I said, 'they are not lost. There they are.'
Thereupon he pushed me back fiercely, without saying a word, and ran
like a madman to pick up his clothes."

The chief surgeon was electrified; he rose, and said,--

"I understand; yes, I understand."

XXV.

Thus proceeding from one point to another, and by the unaided power of
his sagacity, coupled with indefatigable activity, the magistrate
had succeeded in establishing Crochard's guilt, and the existence of
accomplices who had instigated the crime. No one could doubt that he was
proud of it, and that his self-esteem had increased, although he
tried hard to preserve his stiff and impassive appearance. He had even
affected a certain dislike to the idea of reading Henrietta's letter,
until he should have proved that he could afford to do without such
assistance.

But, now that he had proved this so amply, he very quickly asked for the
letter, and read it. Like the chief surgeon, he, also, was struck and
amazed by the wickedness of M. de Brevan.

"But here is exactly what we want," he exclaimed,--"an irrefragable
proof of complicity. He would never have dared to abuse Miss Ville-
Handry's confidence in so infamous a manner, if he