had poured
the contents of Natacha's glass and yours; no trace of poison excepting
in two of the four glasses, arsenate of soda was found only on the
soiled napkins of Trebassof and his wife and in the two glasses they
drank from."

"Oh, that is horrible," muttered the stupefied reporter; "that is
horrible, for then the poisoner must be either Natacha or me."

"I have every confidence in you," declared Koupriane with a great laugh
of satisfaction, striking him on the shoulder. "And I arrest Natacha,
and you who love logic ought to be satisfied now."

Rouletabille hadn't a word more to say. He sat down again and let his
head fall into his hands, like one sleep has seized.

"Ah, our young girls; you don't know them. They are terrible, terrible!"
said Koupriane, lighting a big cigar. "Much more terrible than the boys.
In good families the boys still enjoy themselves; but the girls--they
read! It goes to their heads. They are ready for anything; they know
neither father nor mother. Ah, you are a child, you cannot comprehend.
Two lovely eyes, a melancholy air, a soft, low voice, and you are
captured--you believe you have before you simply an inoffensive, good
little girl. Well, Rouletabille, here is what I will tell you for
your instruction. There was the time of the Tchipoff attack; the
revolutionaries who were assigned to kill Tchipoff were disguised as
coachmen and footmen. Everything had been carefully prepared and it would
seem that no one could have discovered the bombs in the place they had
been stored. Well, do you know the place where those bombs were found?
In the rooms of the governor, of Wladmir's daughter! Exactly, my little
friend, just there! The rooms of the governor's daughter, Mademoiselle
Alexeieiv. Ah, these young girls! Besides, it was this same Mademoiselle
Alexeieiv who, so prettily, pierced the brain of an honest Swiss
merchant who had the misfortune to resemble one of our ministers. If
we had hanged that charming young girl earlier, my dear Monsieur
Rouletabille, that last catastrophe might have been avoided. A good rope
around the neck of all these little females--it is the only way, the
only way!"

A man entered. Rouletabille recognized the driver of the telega. There
were some rapid words between the Chief and the agent. The man closed
the shutters of the room, but through the interstices they would be
able to see what went on outside. Then the agent left; Koupriane, as he
pushed aside the t