of
the landing stage at the Pont Neuf Station. This affair is supposed to
have happened in my parts, don't you see?... Well, I had just come to
the bit where you also suppose that the corpse might easily have been
devoured by rats inside the sewer.... Well, Monsieur Fandor, I can
assure you that it was nothing of the sort...."

The journalist was all eyes and ears. He signed to Elizabeth that she
must keep quiet, so as not to intimidate the good fellow.

"Come now, what is it you have seen?"

"What I've seen?... Why, I saw Dollon break bounds!"

At this statement Elizabeth grew white as a sheet. She jumped up, and
with clasped hands rushed towards the keeper:

"Speak, speak quickly, I implore you!" she cried.

Fandor drew Elizabeth back gently, and whispered a few words to her. He
turned to the keeper:

"Mademoiselle has also come to make a statement regarding this affair,"
he explained. "That is why she is so interested in what you have just
told us.... But tell us how you saw Jacques Dollon escape!"

"Well, I had got up a bit earlier than usual to see that the anchors and
mooring were all right, and I thought I saw what looked like a big
bundle fall into the river from the sewer opening--only I was half
asleep and didn't take much notice; for, what with all the rain we've
been having, there's no end of filthy stuff tumbling out of the mouth of
the sewers. But, a few minutes after that, I noticed that the bundle,
instead of going with the flow of the current, was drifting across the
Seine, plainly making for the bank. There could be no mistake about
that!"

Elizabeth Dollon cried:

"And then? And then?"

"Then, my little lady, what if this surprise packet didn't turn off
behind an arch of the Pont-Neuf! I didn't see what became of it--but no
one will get it out of my head that it isn't some jolly dog who had no
wish to show himself--that's what I think!"

The keeper paused, then went on:

"That's all I have to tell you, Monsieur Fandor ... it might serve for
one of your articles some time or other ... only you mustn't say that I
told you. I might get into trouble with my chiefs about it!"

Elizabeth Dollon was no longer listening. She had turned to Fandor, and
with shining eyes murmured:

"He lives!... He lives!..."

Fandor thanked the keeper, and got rid of him. Directly the door closed
on him he darted to Elizabeth:

"Poor child!" he cried, full of pity for her.

"Ah! Don't pity me! I don't n