uke,
the party was of a liveliness to which the gorgeous dining-room had
been very little used since it had been so fortunate as to become the
property of M. Gournay-Martin.

The millionaire had been looking forward to an evening of luxurious
woe, deploring the loss of his treasures--giving their prices--to his
sympathetic friends. The Duke had other views; and they prevailed.
After dinner the guests went to the smoking-room, since the
drawing-rooms were in possession of Guerchard. Soon after ten the Duke
slipped away from them, and went to the detective. Guerchard's was not
a face at any time full of expression, and all that the Duke saw on it
was a subdued dulness.

"Well, M. Guerchard," he said cheerfully, "what luck? Have any of your
men come across any traces of the passage of the burglars with their
booty?"

"No, your Grace; so far, all the luck has been with the burglars. For
all that any one seems to have seen them, they might have vanished into
the bowels of the earth through the floor of the cellars in the empty
house next door. That means that they were very quick loading whatever
vehicle they used with their plunder. I should think, myself, that they
first carried everything from this house down into the hall of the
house next door; and then, of course, they could be very quick getting
them from hall to their van, or whatever it was. But still, some one
saw that van--saw it drive up to the house, or waiting at the house, or
driving away from it."

"Is M. Formery coming back?" said the Duke.

"Not to-night," said Guerchard. "The affair is in my hands now; and I
have my own men on it--men of some intelligence, or, at any rate, men
who know my ways, and how I want things done."

"It must be a relief," said the Duke.

"Oh, no, I'm used to M. Formery--to all the examining magistrates in
Paris, and in most of the big provincial towns. They do not really
hamper me; and often I get an idea from them; for some of them are men
of real intelligence."

"And others are not: I understand," said the Duke.

The door opened and Bonavent, the detective, came in.

"The housekeeper's awake, M. Guerchard," he said.

"Good, bring her down here," said Guerchard.

"Perhaps you'd like me to go," said the Duke.

"Oh, no," said Guerchard. "If it would interest you to hear me question
her, please stay."

Bonavent left the room. The Duke sat down in an easy chair, and
Guerchard stood before the fireplace.

"M. Forme