'My dear Madame,' he cried in dismay, going over to her, 'what is
the matter with you?'

'Matter enow,' growled McIntosh, with his hand on the door handle;
'that deil o' a' husband o' her's has robbed her o' the nugget.'

'Yes, and I killed him,' said Madame between her clenched teeth.

'The deuce you did,' said Vandeloup, in surprise, taking a seat,
'then he was the liveliest dead man I ever saw.'

'What do you mean?' asked Madame, leaning forward, with both hands
gripping the arms of her chair; 'is--is he alive?'

'Of course he is,' began Vandeloup; 'I--' but here he was stopped by
a cry from Selina, for her mistress had fallen back in her chair in
a dead faint.

Hastily waving for the men to go away, she applied remedies, and
Madame soon revived. Vandeloup had gone outside with McIntosh, and
was asking him about the robbery, and then told him in return about
Villiers' movements on that night. Selina called them in again, as
Madame wanted to hear all about her husband, and Vandeloup was just
entering when he turned to McIntosh.

'Oh, by the way,' he said, in a vexed tone, 'Pierre will not be at
work today.'

'What for no?' asked McIntosh, sharply.