ed to annoy M. Lecoq very much; just as everything
was, as he said, "running on wheels," his principal witness, whom he
had caught at the peril of his life, had escaped him. M. Plantat,
on the contrary, seemed tolerably well satisfied, as if the death
of Robelot furthered projects which he was secretly nourishing, and
fulfilled his secret hopes. Besides, it little mattered if the
object was to oppose M. Domini's theories and induce him to change
his opinion. This corpse had more eloquence in it than the most
explicit of confessions.

The doctor, seeing the uselessness of his pains, got up.

"It's all over," said he. "The asphyxia was accomplished in a very
few moments."

The bone-setter's body was carefully laid on the floor in the
library.

"There is nothing more to be done," said M. Plantat, "but to carry
him home; we will follow on so as to seal up his effects, which
perhaps contain important papers. Run to the mairie," he added,
turning to his servant, "and get a litter and two stout men."

Dr. Gendron's presence being no longer necessary, he promised M.
Plantat to rejoin him at Robelot's, and started off to inquire
after M. Courtois's condition.

Louis lost no time, and soon reappeared followed, not by two, but
ten men. The body was placed on a litter and carried away. Robelot
occupied a little house of three rooms, where he lived by himself;
one of the rooms served as a shop, and was full of plants, dried
herbs, grain, and other articles appertaining to his vocation as
an herbist. He slept in the back room, which was better furnished
than most country rooms. His body was placed upon the bed. Among
the men who had brought it was the "drummer of the town," who was
at the same time the grave-digger. This man, expert in everything
pertaining to funerals, gave all the necessary instructions on the
present occasion, himself taking part in the lugubrious task.

Meanwhile M. Plantat examined the furniture, the keys of which had
been taken from the deceased's pocket. The value of the property
found in the possession of this man, who had, two years before,
lived from day to day on what he could pick up, were an
over-whelming proof against him in addition to the others already
discovered. But M. Plantat looked in vain for any new indications
of which he was ignorant. He found deeds of the Morin property and
of the Frapesle and Peyron lands; there were also two bonds, for
one hundred and fifty and eight hundred and