motive that had influenced her, and were saying to themselves,
"Mademoiselle is right. It would not do to touch the escritoire
of a dying man. Who knows but what there are millions in it? If
anything were missed, why any of us might be accused. But if the
key is destroyed, it will be impossible to suspect any one."

However, the physician's conjectures were of an entirely different
nature. "What can there be in that escritoire which she desires
to conceal?" he thought.

But there was no excuse for prolonging his visit. Once more he
examined the sick man, whose condition remained unchanged; and
then, after explaining what was to be done in his absence, he
declared that he must leave at once, as he had a number of
important visits to make; he added, however, that he would return
about midnight.

"Madame Leon and I will watch over M. de Chalusse," replied
Mademoiselle Marguerite; "that is sufficient assurance, monsieur,
that your orders will be obeyed to the letter. Only--you will not
take offence, I trust, if I ask the count's regular physician to
meet you in consultation."

Such a proposal was anything but pleasing to M. Jodon, who had met
with the same misfortune in this aristocratic neighborhood several
times before. When an accident happened, he was summoned because
he chanced to be close at hand, but just as he was flattering
himself that he had gained a desirable patient, he found himself
in presence of some celebrated physician, who had come from a
distance in his carriage. Accustomed to such disappointments, he