instance."

"And then kept it?"

"That is what I can only suppose."

"Ah!"


CHAPTER VII

When the Judge had brought down the interrogation of the Countess to the
production of the small glass bottle, he paused, and with a long-drawn
"Ah!" of satisfaction, looked round at his colleagues.

Both M. Floçon and the Commissary nodded their heads approvingly,
plainly sharing his triumph.

Then they all put their heads together in close, whispered conference.

"Admirable, M. le Juge!" said the detective. "You have been most adroit.
It is a clear case."

"No doubt," said the Commissary, who was a blunt, rather coarse person,
believing that to take anybody and everybody into custody is always the
safest and simplest course. "It looks black against her. I think she
ought to be arrested at once."

"We might, indeed we ought to have more evidence, more definite
evidence, perhaps?" The Judge was musing over the facts as he knew them.