he had not a sou on him.

Finally the chauffeur set off; perched on a big white mare which had
been rejected time and again by the Remount Department, he took the
road at a galloping trot. When he reached Father Flory's field he gave
a sigh of satisfaction. He recognised his car. It proved to be in good
condition. Whoever had driven it knew what he was about.

"It was the corporal," decided the joyful chauffeur. "That little cure
would be afraid of spoiling his little white hands!"

Surrounded by a crowd of peasants who had hurried from all the farms
in the neighbourhood, to see the motor-car which had grown up in a
single night in Father Flory's field, the chauffeur set his car in
motion. Hard work! The car had been driven deep into the soft soil....
At last he got to the road.

"A very good evening to you, ladies and gentlemen!" he shouted to the
peasants who, with ironic grins and hands in pockets, had watched him
at work. Not one had come forward to help him!

He set off at top speed for _The Flowery Crossways_.

* * * * *

Meanwhile the police sergeant, important, in full official uniform,
had started for _The Flowery Crossways_, accompanied by the
hotel-keeper.

"This affair requires looking into," he announced. "The law will have
more than a word to say about it. I must get further information and
make notes."

He, with the hotel-keeper at his heels, mounted to the little room
where Fandor and the little priest had passed the night. The policeman
uncovered on entering what he considered a sumptuous, superbly
decorated room. He had not the least idea how to set about his
investigations in order to get the best results. He seated himself in
an arm-chair. He fixed his eyes on the hotel-keeper.

"Do you know the name of these individuals?"

The hotel-keeper, thinking of the eighteen francs he had lost, and of
how he could indemnify himself, paid scant attention to the sergeant's
so-called investigations.

"Look here!" he cried. "That's a good thing! In their haste they have
forgotten to take this package!... There may be things of value in
it!... I may be able to pay myself out of them!"

The policeman rose: he also examined the package.

"In the name of the law I shall open this package to ascertain exactly
what is in it."

The two men undid the rope tightly bound round the covering; but
whilst mine host of _The Flowery Crossways_ had no idea of what the
contents of