r for a minute or two, puzzling it
out, seeking light.

Then he came back slowly into the drawing-room and looked uneasily at
the Duke. The Duke was sitting in his easy chair, smoking a cigarette
with a listless air. Guerchard looked at him, and looked at him, almost
as if he now saw him for the first time.

"Well?" said the Duke, "have you sent that poor child off to prison? If
I'd done a thing like that I don't think I should sleep very well, M.
Guerchard."

"That poor child has just escaped, by means of a forged permit," said
Guerchard very glumly.

"By Jove, I AM glad to hear that!" cried the Duke. "You'll forgive my
lack of sympathy, M. Guerchard; but she was such a child."

"Not too young to be Lupin's accomplice," said Guerchard drily.

"You really think she is?" said the Duke, in a tone of doubt.

"I'm sure of it," said Guerchard, with decision; then he added slowly,
with a perplexed air:

"But how--how--could she get that forged permit?"

The Duke shook his head, and looked as solemn as an owl. Guerchard
looked at him uneasily, went out of the drawing-room, and shut the door.

"How long has Mademoiselle Kritchnoff been gone?" he said to Bonavent.

"Not much more than five minutes," said Bonavent. "She came out from
talking to you in the drawing-room--"

"Talking to me in the drawing-room!" exclaimed Guerchard.

"Yes," said Bonavent. "She came out and went straight down the stairs
and out of the house."

A faint, sighing gasp came from Guerchard's lips. He dashed into the
drawing-room, crossed the room quickly to his cloak, picked it up, took
the card-case out of the pocket, and counted the cards in it. Then he
looked at the Duke.

The Duke smiled at him, a charming smile, almost caressing.

There seemed to be a lump in Guerchard's throat; he swallowed it loudly.

He put the card-case into the breast-pocket of the coat he was wearing.
Then he cried sharply, "Bonavent! Bonavent!"

Bonavent opened the door, and stood in the doorway.

"You sent off Victoire in the prison-van, I suppose," said Guerchard.

"Oh, a long while ago, sir," said Bonavent.

"The van had been waiting at the door since half-past nine."

"Since half-past nine? ... But I told them I shouldn't want it till a
quarter to eleven. I suppose they were making an effort to be in time
for once. Well, it doesn't matter," said Guerchard.

"Then I suppose I'd better send the other prison-van away?" said
Bonavent.

"What other