keyhole. The inside key was there, which seemed to
confirm his agonising fear.

"She has not gone out then?"

He took a deep breath.

"What a horrible smell of gas!"

This time he did not hesitate. He rose, stepped back, sprang forward,
and with a vigorous push from the shoulder, he drove the door off its
hinges.

"My God!" he shouted.

In the centre of the room, Fandor had just seen Elizabeth Dollon lying
unconscious. A tube, detached from a portable gas stove, was between her
tightly closed lips! The tap was turned full on. He flung himself on his
knees near the poor girl, pulled away the deadly tube, and put his ear
to her heart.

What joy, what happiness, he felt when he heard, very feeble but quite
unmistakable beatings of Elizabeth's heart!

"She lives!" What unspeakable relief Jerome Fandor felt! What
thankfulness!

The noise he had made breaking the door off its hinges brought the whole
household running to the spot. As the manservant, followed by Madame
Bourrat, followed in turn by Monsieur Barbey and Nanteuil, appeared in
the doorway uttering cries of terror, Jerome called out:

"No one is to come in!... It is an accident!"

Then lifting Elizabeth in his strong arms, he carried her out of the
room.

"What she needs is air!"

He hurried downstairs and out into the garden with his precious burden,
followed by the terrified witnesses of the scene.

"You have saved her life, monsieur!" cried Madame Bourrat in a tragic
voice. She groaned. "Oh, what a scandal!"

"Yes, I have saved her," replied Fandor as, panting with his exertions,
he laid Elizabeth Dollon flat on a garden seat.... "But from whom?... It
is certainly not attempted suicide! There is some mystery behind this
business: it's a regular theatrical performance arranged simply for
effect, and to mislead us," declared Fandor. Then, turning to the
bankers, he said courteously but with an air of command:

"Please lay information with the superintendent of police at once ...
the nearest police station, you understand!"

"Madame," he said, addressing the overwhelmed Madame Bourrat, "you will
be good enough to look after Mademoiselle Dollon, will you not?... Take
every care of her. There is not much to be done, however! I have seen
many cases of commencing asphyxia: she will regain consciousness now, in
a few minutes."

Then, looking at the manservant, he said in a sharp tone:

"Come with me! You will mount guard at the door of Mademois