ou, can the discovery of that
map affect your case or influence the decision of the jury? By the way,
there is no need for you to worry about the result; I have had a
frightful lot of experience in criminal cases, and so be assured you are
all right: extenuating circumstances, you know. But--oh, yes, there is
one thing more I wanted to tell you. A fresh witness is going to be
called at the examination; let me see, what's his name? Dollon: that's
it: the steward, Dollon."

"I don't understand," said Gurn; his head was bent and his eyes cast
down.

A glimmer of light dawned in the young licentiate's brain.

"Wait, there is some connection," he said. "The steward, Dollon, is in
the employment of a lady who calls herself the Baronne de Vibray. And
the Baronne de Vibray is guardian to the young lady who was staying with
Lady Beltham the day, or rather the night, when you--you--well, you
know. And that young lady, Mlle. Therese Auvernois, was placed with Lady
Beltham by M. Etienne Rambert. And M. Etienne Rambert is the father of
the young man who murdered the Marquise de Langrune last year. I tell
you all these things without attempting to draw any deductions from
them, for, for my own part, I haven't the least idea why the steward,
Dollon, has been summoned in our case at all."

"Nor have I," said Gurn, and the frown on his brow was deeper.

Roger de Seras hunted all round the little room for his gloves and found
them in his pocket.

"Well, my dear chap, I must leave you. We have been chatting for a whole
half-hour, and those ladies are still waiting for me. What on earth will
they say to me?"

He was about to ring for the warder when Gurn abruptly stayed him.

"Tell me," he said with a sudden air of interest, "when is that man
coming--what's his name? Dollon?"

The young barrister was on the point of saying he did not know, when a
brilliant recollection came into his mind.

"'Gad, how frightfully stupid I am! Why, I have a copy of the telegram
he sent the magistrate in my portfolio here now." He opened the
portfolio and picked out a sheet of blue paper. "Here it is."

Gurn took it from him and read:

"Will leave Verrieres to-morrow evening by 7.20 train, arriving Paris 5
A.M...."

Gurn appeared to be sufficiently edified: at all events he paid no
attention to the rest of the message. Lord Beltham's murderer handed the
document back to the barrister without a word.

A few minutes later Maitre Roger de Seras