nly bought a large trunk for
her, but she told him that she had sold it. They had gone to America
together, he to avoid financial difficulties in which he had been
involved by the dishonesty of the Jews. There Gabrielle had deserted him
for another man. He concluded a very long letter by declaring his belief
in Gabrielle's innocence--"the great trouble with her is that she is
such a liar and also has a dozen lovers after her." He promised that, as
soon as he learnt that Gabrielle had returned to Paris, he would, of his
own free will, place himself in the hands of M. Goron.

He was to have an early opportunity of redeeming his pledge, for on
the day following the receipt of his letter a short, well-made woman,
dressed neatly in black, with dyed hair, greyish-blue eyes, good teeth,
a disproportionately large head and a lively and intelligent expression
of face, presented herself at the Prefecture of Police and asked for an
interview with the Prefect.

Requested to give her name, she replied, with a smile, "Gabrielle
Bompard." She was accompanied by a middle-aged gentleman, who appeared
to be devoted to her. Gabrielle Bompard and her friend were taken to the
private room of M. Loze, the Prefect of Police. There, in a half-amused
way, without the least concern, sitting at times on the edge of the
Prefect's writing-table, Gabrielle Bompard told how she had been the
unwilling accomplice of her lover, Eyraud, in the murder of the bailiff,
Gouffe. The crime, she stated, had been committed in No. 3 in the Rue
Tronson-Ducoudray, but she had not been present; she knew nothing of
it but what had been told her by Eyraud. After the murder she had
accompanied him to America; there they had met the middle-aged
gentleman, her companion. Eyraud had proposed that they should murder
and rob him, but she had divulged the plot to the gentleman and asked
him to take her away. It was acting on his advice that she had returned
to France, determined to give her evidence to the judicial authorities
in Paris. The middle-aged gentleman declared himself ready to vouch for
the truth of a great part of this interesting narrative. There they both
imagined apparently that the affair would be ended. They were extremely
surprised when the Prefect, after listening to their statements, sent
for a detective-inspector who showed Gabrielle Bompard a warrant for
her arrest. After an affecting parting, at least on the part of the
middle-aged gentleman, Gabriell