--"

"You said you found it?" put in Coquenil.

"I did, that is, I found a piece of it, a corner that wasn't burned."

"Burned?" cried the others.

"Yes," said Gibelin, "that's what Kittredge went upstairs for, to burn the
photograph and a lot of letters--_her_ letters, probably. The fireplace was
full of fresh ashes. Rose says it was clean before he went up, so I picked
out the best fragments--here they are." He drew a small package from his
pocket, and opening it carefully, showed a number of charred or half-burned
pieces of paper on which words in a woman's handwriting could be plainly
read.

"More fragments!" muttered Coquenil, examining them. "It's in English. Ah,
is this part of the photograph?" He picked out a piece of cardboard.

"Yes. You see the photographer's name is on it."

"Watts, Regent Street, London," deciphered the detective. "That is
something." And, turning to the judge: "Wouldn't it be a good idea to send
a man to London with this? You can make out part of a lace skirt and the
tip of a slipper. It might be enough."

"That's true," agreed Hauteville.

"Whoever goes," continued Coquenil, "had better carry him the five-pound
notes found on Martinez and see if he can trace them through the Bank of
England. They often take the names of persons to whom their notes are
issued."

"Excellent. I'll see to it at once," and, ringing for his secretary, the
judge gave orders to this effect.

To all of which Gibelin listened with a mocking smile. "But why so much
trouble," he asked, "when you have the woman's name and address already?"

"I _had_ them and I--I lost them," acknowledged M. Paul, and in a few
words he explained what had happened.

"Oh," sneered the other, "I thought you were a skillful wrestler."

"Come back to the point," put in Hauteville. "Had the chambermaid ever seen
this lady before?"

"Yes, but not recently. It seems that Kittredge moved to the Hotel des
Etrangers about seven months ago, and soon after that the lady came to see
him. Rose says she came three times."

"Did she go to Kittredge's room?" put in Coquenil.

"Yes."

"Can the chambermaid describe her?" continued the judge.

"She says the lady was young and good-looking--that's about all she
remembers."

"Hm! Have you anything else to report?"

Gibelin chuckled harshly. "I have kept the most important thing for the
last. I'm afraid it will annoy my distinguished colleague even more than
the loss of the leather