eanwhile, will you favour me with a description of Pierre Legros? I
have a reason for asking which will commend itself to you."

Louise launched into an eloquent word-picture of the onion-seller,
contriving with many deprecatory shrugs to convey her contempt for his
rough appearance and for his humble calling, while taking full credit
for having recognized him at all in her present exalted station. His
fierce eyebrows, his swarthy skin, his blue jean garments were all in
turn catalogued and tossed aside as so much rubbish not worthy of notice
if their owner was not to achieve fame as a murderer.

"A thousand thanks! You are an artist in our language, mademoiselle, and
have absolutely confirmed the innocence of your worthy
fellow-countryman, though I commiserate with you on the reappearance in
your life of one so _gauche_," said Nugent decisively. "You are entitled
to my fullest confidence, but discretion confines me to this at present:
Pierre Legros, so easily recognizable from your vivid description, could
not have committed this crime. It would have been a physical
impossibility. At the hour when the medical men say that Levison must
have met his death Legros was creating a disturbance at the back door of
my house because the cook would not purchase any of his wares. While I
happen to know that the man I suspect had an appointment to meet some
one on the marsh about the same hour."

One glance at the French girl's face as he made the last assertion told
him that he had scored one trick at least in the game he had set out to
play. There was no incredulity in the stare with which she drank in his
statement, nor was there affectation in the sigh which escaped her, due
partly to relief at the established alibi of her former lover, and
partly to disappointment that she was not to achieve fame as the heroine
of a murder mystery.

"I shall hold you to your promise, M'sieu," she simpered at last. "And
as you have rendered my journey into the town unnecessary I will now
return to the Manor House. Accept my best thanks for preventing me from
committing a _betise_ which would have anguished my soul. It would have
desolated me to have accused that poor Pierre under a mistake."

So, after a few courtesies from Nugent, she turned and went back the way
she had come, reflecting that, after all, there was compensation for her
disappointment. Had she not been treated as an equal by a gentleman of
position and fascinating manners? C