er is now being analysed, whilst the faculty are engaged
in a post-mortem examination of the unfortunate victim's body; but, at
the present moment, everything leads to the belief that there does not
exist an immediate and certain link between this poison and the sudden
death of the Baroness de Vibray.

It might easily be supposed, and this we believe is the view taken at
Police Headquarters, that for a motive as yet unknown, a motive the
judicial examination will certainly bring to light, the artist has
poisoned his patroness; and, in order to put the authorities on the
wrong scent (perhaps he hoped she would leave the studio before the
death-agony commenced), he has devised this species of tableau, invented
the story of the masked men.

In fact, the doctor who first attended him has declared that the
puncture, clumsily made, might very well have been done by Jacques
Dollon himself.

It is worth noting that not a soul saw the Baroness de Vibray enter
Monsieur Dollon's house yesterday evening: as a rule, she comes in her
motor-car, and all the neighbourhood can hear her arrival.

It seems evident that Jacques Dollon will abandon the line of defence he
has adopted: it can hardly be described as rational.

There is little doubt but that we shall have sensational revelations
regarding the crime of the rue Norvins.

_Last Hour_

Mademoiselle Elizabeth Dollon, to whom Police Headquarters has
telegraphed that a serious accident has happened to her brother, has
sent a reply telegram from Lausanne to the effect that she will return
to-night.

The unfortunate girl is probably ignorant of all that has occurred.
Nevertheless, we believe that two detectives have left at once for the
frontier, where they will meet her, and shadow her as far as Paris, in
case she should get news on the way of what had occurred, and should
either attempt to escape, or make an attempt on her life.

Decidedly, to-morrow promises to be a day full of vicissitudes.

* * * * *

This article, published on the first page of _La Capitale_, was signed:

JEROME FANDOR.

II

THOMERY'S TWO LOVES

Two days before the sinister drama, details of which Jerome Fandor had
given in _La Capitale_, the smart little town house inhabited by the
Baroness de Vibray, in the Avenue Henri-Martin, assumed a festive
appearance.

This did not surprise her neighbours, for they knew the owne