"The sitting-room is certainly charming, and decorated exquisitely,"
complimented Rouletabille. "It seems almost a boudoir."

"It does serve as a boudoir for my step-daughter, whose bedroom
opens directly from it; you see the door there. It is simply for
the present that the luncheon table is set there, because for some
time the police have pre-empted the veranda."

"Is your dog a watch-dog, madame?" asked Rouletabille, caressing
the beast, which had followed him.

"Khor is faithful and had guarded us well hitherto."

"He sleeps now, then?"

"Yes. Koupriane has him shut in the lodge to keep him from barking
nights. Koupriane fears that if he is out he will devour one of
the police who watch in the garden at night. I wanted him to sleep
in the house, or by his master's door, or even at the foot of the
bed, but Koupriane said, 'No, no; no dog. Don't rely on the dog.
Nothing is more dangerous than to rely on the dog. 'Since then he
has kept Khor locked up at night. But I do not understand
Koupriane's idea."

"Monsieur Koupriane is right," said the reporter. "Dogs are useful
only against strangers."

"Oh," gasped the poor woman, dropping her eyes. "Koupriane
certainly knows his business; he thinks of everything."