mising entries in a diary which might be lost or stolen, and which
would certainly be read by his heir. Do you think that a man of high
position would record his perjury, which is a crime that would send him
to penal servitude?"

Mascarin gazed upon the Count with an air of pity.

"You are not going the right way, my lord, to get out of your trouble.
No lawyer would adopt your theory. If the remaining volumes of M. de
Clinchain's diaries were produced in court, I imagine that other equally
startling entries would be found in them."

The Count now appeared to have arrived at some decision, and to continue
the conversation simply for the purpose of gaining time.

"Well," said he, "I will give up this idea; but how do I know that
these documents are not forgeries? Nowadays, handwritings are easily
facsimilied, when even bankers find it hard to distinguish between their
own notes and counterfeit ones."

"That can be settled by seeing if certain leaves are missing from the
Baron's diary."

"That does not prove much."

"Pardon me, it proves a great deal. This new line of argument, I assure
you, will avail you as little as the other. I am perfectly aware that
the Baron de Clinchain will utter whatever words you may place in his
mouth. Let us suppose that the leaves which have been torn out should
fit into the book exactly. Would not that be a strong point?"

The Count smiled ironically, as though he had a crushing reply in
reserve.

"And so this is your opinion, is it?" said he.

"It is indeed."

"Then all I have to do is to plead guilty. I did kill Montlouis, just
as Clinchain describes, but----" and as he spoke he took a heavy volume
from a shelf, and opening it at a certain place laid it before Mascarin,
remarking,--"this is the criminal code; read. 'All proceedings in
criminal law shall be cancelled after a lapse of ten years.'"

The Count de Mussidan evidently thought that he had crushed his
adversary by this shattering blow; but it was not so, for instead of
exhibiting any surprise, Mascarin's smile was as bland as ever.

"I, too, know a little of the law," said he. "The very first day this
matter was brought to me, I turned to this page and read what you have
just shown me to my employers."

"And what did they say?"

"That they knew all this, but that you would be glad to compromise the
affair, even at the expense of half your fortune."

The agent's manner was so confident that the Count felt they ha