everything, that
I am a friend of Mr. Dundas, the young Englishman accused of a murder
which he could not possibly have committed."

"Could not possibly have committed? Is that merely your opinion as a
loyal friend, or have you come to make a communication to me?"

"For that--and to offer you the stage-box for to-night."

"A thousand thanks for the box. As for the communication--"

"It's this. Mr. Dundas was in my house at the time when, according to
the doctors' statements, the murder must have been committed. Oh, it's a
hard thing for me to come and tell you this!" I went on hastily. "Not
that I'm ashamed to have received a call from him at that hour, as it
was necessary to see him then, or not at all. He meant to leave Paris
early in the morning. But--because I'm engaged to be married to--perhaps
you know that, though, among other things?"

"I've heard--a rumour. I didn't know that it amounted to an engagement.
Monsieur du Laurier is to be a thousand times congratulated."

"I love him dearly," I said simply. And, not because I am an actress,
but because I am a a woman and had suffered all that I could bear, tears
rose to my eyes. "I am true to him, and always have been. But--he is
horribly jealous. I can't explain Mr. Dundas' night visit in a way to
satisfy him. If Raoul finds out that an Englishman--well-known, but of
whom I never spoke--was at my house after midnight, he will believe I
have deceived him. Oh, Monsieur, if you would help me to keep this
secret I am telling you so frankly!"

"Keep the secret, yet use it to free the Englishman?" asked the Chief of
Police gravely.

"Yes, I ask no less of you; I beg, I implore you. It would kill me to
break with Raoul du Laurier."

"Dear Mademoiselle," said the good and gallant man, "trust me to do the
best I can for you." (I could see that my tears had moved him.) "A grief
to you would be a blow to Paris. Yet--well, as you have been frank, I
owe it to you to be equally so on my side. I should before this have
sent--quite privately and in a friendly way, to question you about this
Mr. Dundas, who passed under another name at the hotel where you called
upon him; but I received a request from a very high quarter to wait
before communicating with you. Now, as you have come to me, I suppose I
may speak."

"Ask me any questions you choose," I said, "and I'll answer them."

"Then, to begin with, since you are engaged to Monsieur du Laurier, how
do you explain the