to preserve."

"Yes," said M. Ginory, "perfectly, I know your system. You will hold to
it. It is well. Now, whose portrait is that?"

"It is mine!"

"By whom do you think it was possible that it could have been sold in
the bric-a-brac shop where it was found."

"I know nothing about it. Probably by the one who found it or stole it
from M. Rovere's apartment, and who is probably, without the least
doubt, his assassin."

"That seems very simple to you?"

"It seems very logical."

"Suppose that this should be the exact truth, that does not detract from
the presumption which implicates you, and from Mme. Moniche's
deposition, which charges you"----

"Yes, yes, I know. The open safe, the papers spread out, the tete-a-tete
with Rovere, when the concierge entered the room--that signifies
nothing!"

"For you, perhaps! For Justice it has a tragic signification. But let us
return to the portrait. It was you, I suppose, who gave it to Rovere?"

"Yes, it was I," Dantin responded. "Rovere was an amateur in art,
moreover, my intimate friend. I had no family, I had an old friend, a
companion of my youth, whom I thought would highly prize that painting.
It is a fine one--it is by Paul Baudry."

"Ah!" said M. Ginory. "P. B. Those are Baudry's initials?"

"Certainly. After the war--when I had done my duty like others, I say
this without any intention of defending myself--Paul Baudry was at
Bordeaux. He was painting some portraits on panels, after
Holbein--Edmond About's among others. He made mine. It is this one which
I gave Rovere--the one you hold in your hands."

The Magistrate looked at the small oval painting and M. Leriche put on
his eyeglasses to examine the quality of the painting. A Baudry!

"What are these scratches around the edge as if nails had been drawn
across the places?" M. Ginory asked. He held out the portrait to Dantin.

"I do not know. Probably where the frame was taken off."

"No, no! They are rough marks; I can see that. The picture has been
literally torn from the frame. You ought to know how this panel was
framed."

"Very simply when I gave it to Rovere. A narrow gilt frame, nothing
more."

"Had Rovere changed the frame?"

"I do not know. I do not remember. When I was at his apartment the last
few times I do not remember to have seen the Baudry. I have thought of
it, but I have no recollection of it."

"Then you cannot furnish any information about the man who sold this
portrait?"

"