Thus muttering to herself, she shambled across the room to a corner,
where she stowed the money safely away. Then she came back, showed the
bit of lace, and pressed it into the Countess's hands.

"Do you know this, little one? Where it comes from, where there is much
more? I was told to look for it, to search for it on you;" and with a
quick gesture she lifted the edge of the Countess's skirt, dropping it
next moment with a low, chuckling laugh.

"Oho! aha! You were right, my pretty, to pay me, my pretty--right. And
some day, to-day, to-morrow, whenever I ask you, you will remember
Mother Tontaine."

The Countess listened with dismay. What had she done? Put herself into
the power of this greedy and unscrupulous old beldame?

"And this, my princess? What have we here, aha?"

Mere Tontaine held up next the broken bit of jet ornament for
inspection, and as the Countess leaned forward to examine it more
closely, gave it into her hand.

"You recognize it, of course. But be careful, my pretty! Beware! If any
one were looking, it would ruin you. I could not save you then. Sh! say
nothing, only look, and quick, give it me back. I must have it to show."

All this time the Countess was turning the jet over and over in her open
palm, with a perplexed, disturbed, but hardly a terrified air.

Yes, she knew it, or thought she knew it. It had been--But how had it
come here, into the possession of this base myrmidon of the French
police?

"Give it me, quick!" There was a loud knock at the door. "They are
coming. Remember!" Mother Tontaine put her long finger to her lip. "Not
a word! I have found nothing, of course. Nothing, I can swear to that,
and you will not forget Mother Tontaine?"

Now M. Flocon stood at the open door awaiting the searcher's report. He
looked much disconcerted when the old woman took him on one side and
briefly explained that the search had been altogether fruitless.

There was nothing to justify suspicion, nothing, so far as she could
find.

The detective looked from one to the other--from the hag he had employed
in this unpleasant quest, to the lady on whom it had been tried. The
Countess, to his surprise, did not complain. He had expected further and
strong upbraidings. Strange to say, she took it very quietly. There was
no indignation in her face. She was still pale, and her hands trembled,
but she said nothing, made no reference, at least, to what she had just
gone through.

Again he took cou