possessed, to resume her
post near the general.

Notes in Rouletabille's memorandum-book: The affair of the little cavity
under the floor not having been touched again proves nothing for or
against Natacha (even though that excellent Matrena Petrovna thinks
so). Natacha could very well have been warned by the too great care with
which Madame Matrena watched the floor. My opinion, since I saw Matrena
lift the carpet the first time without any real precaution, is that they
have definitely abandoned the preparation of that attack and are trying
to account for the secret becoming known. What Matrena feels so sure
of is that the trap I laid by the promenade to the Point was against
Natacha particularly. I knew beforehand that Natacha would absent
herself during the promenade. I'm not looking for anything new from
Natacha, but what I did need was to be sure that Matrena didn't detest
Natacha, and that she had not faked the preparations for an attack under
the floor in such a way as to throw almost certain suspicion on her
step-daughter. I am sure about that now. Matrena is innocent of such a
thing, the poor dear soul. If Matrena had been a monster the occasion
was too good. Natacha's absence, her solitary presence for a quarter of
an hour in the empty villa, all would have urged Matrena, whom I sent
alone to search under the carpet in the dining-room, to draw the last
nails from the board if she was really guilty of having drawn the
others. Natacha would have been lost then! Matrena returned sincerely,
tragically happy at not having found anything new, and now I have the
material proof that I needed. Morally and physically Matrena is removed
from it. So I am going to speak to her about the hat-pin. I believe that
the matter is urgent on that side rather than on the side of the nails
in the floor.

VI. THE MYSTERIOUS HAND

After the departure of Matrena, Rouletabille turned his attention to the
garden. Neither the marshal of the court nor the officers were there any
longer. The three men had disappeared. Rouletabille wished to know
at once where they had gone. He went rapidly to the gate, named the
officers and the marshal to Ermolai, and Ermolai made a sign that they
had passed out. Even as he spoke he saw the marshal's carriage disappear
around a corner of the road. As to the two officers, they were nowhere
on the roadway. He was surprised that the marshal should have gone
without seeing Matrena or the general or