"What's that?"

"A crystal stopper."

"A crystal stopper... Saints above! A nice business! And, if we don't
find your confounded stopper, what then?"

Lupin took her gently by the arm and, in a serious voice:

"If we don't find it, Gilbert, young Gilbert whom you know and love, will
stand every chance of losing his head; and so will Vaucheray."

"Vaucheray I don't mind... a dirty rascal like him! But Gilbert..."

"Have you seen the papers this evening? Things are looking worse than
ever. Vaucheray, as might be expected, accuses Gilbert of stabbing the
valet; and it so happens that the knife which Vaucheray used belonged
to Gilbert. That came out this morning. Whereupon Gilbert, who is
intelligent in his way, but easily frightened, blithered and launched
forth into stories and lies which will end in his undoing. That's how
the matter stands. Will you help me?"

Thenceforth, for several days, Lupin moulded his existence upon
Daubrecq's, beginning his investigations the moment the deputy left the
house. He pursued them methodically, dividing each room into sections
which he did not abandon until he had been through the tiniest nooks and
corners and, so to speak, exhausted every possible device.

Victoire searched also. And nothing was forgotten. Table-legs,