What!" said she, "you, too, sir, can imagine that my father has
run away with millions?"

The old lawyer shook his head.

"I believe nothing," he answered. "Favoral has taken me in so
completely,--me, who had the pretension of being a judge of men,
--that nothing from him, either for good or for evil, could surprise
me hereafter."

Mme. Favoral was about to offer some objection; but he stopped her
with a gesture.

"And yet," he went on, "I'd bet that he has gone off with empty
pockets. His recent operations reveal a frightful distress. Had
he had a few thousand francs at his command, would he have extorted
five hundred francs from a poor old woman, a newspaper-vender?
What did he want with the money? Try his luck once more, no doubt."

He was seated, his elbow upon the arm of the chair, his head resting
upon his hands, thinking; and the contraction of his features
indicated an extraordinary tension of mind.

Suddenly he drew himself up.

"But why," he exclaimed, "why wander in idle conjectures? What do
we know about Favoral? Nothing. One entire side of his existence
escapes us,--that fantastic side, of which the insane prodigalities
and inconceivable disorders have been revealed to us by the bills
found in his desk. He is certainly guilty; but is he as guilty as
we think? and, above all, is he alone guilty? Was it for himself
alone that he drew all this money? Are the missing millions really
lost? and wouldn't it be possible to find the biggest share of them
in the pockets of some accomplice? Skilful men do not expose
themselves. They have at their command poor wretches, sacrificed
in advance, and who, in exchange for a few crumbs that are thrown
to them, risk the criminal court, are condemned, and go to prison."

"That's just what I was telling my mother and sister, sir,"
interrupted Maxence.

"And that's what I am telling myself," continued the old lawyer.
"I have been thinking over and over again of last evening's scene;
and strange doubts have occurred to my mind. For a man who has
been robbed of a dozen millions, M. de Thaller was remarkably quiet
and self-possessed. Favoral appeared to me singularly calm for a
man charged with embezzlement and forgery. M. de Thaller, as
manager of the Mutual Credit, is really responsible for the stolen
funds, and, as such, should have been anxious to secure the guilty
party, and to produce him. Instead of that, he wished him to go,
and actually broug