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"Listen!" she continued, "I will tell you what I think It was my

habit to put out so-room, which, as you know, is at the other side of the

house across the hall I think it possible,her dress M-room I know that Mlle Celie, as soon

as she was dressed, ran downstairs to the salon Well, then,

suppose Mlle Celie had a lover waiting hom she meant to run

away She hurries through the e the doors open And the thief, an accomplice

of Adele, finds the doors open and hides himself in the salon

until M-room You see, that

leaves Mlle Celie innocent"

Vauquier leaned forward eagerly, her white face flushing There

was a moment's silence, and then Hanaud said: "That is all very well, Mlle Vauquier But it does not account

for the lace coat in which the girl went away She one to bed"

Helene Vauquier leaned back with an air of disappointotten the coat I did not like Mlle

Celie, but I am not wicked--"

"Nor for the fact that the sirop and the le-rooain the disappointment overspread Vauquier's face

"Is that so?" she asked "I did not know--I have been kept a

prisoner here"

The Commissaire cut her short with a cry of satisfaction

"Listen! listen!" he exclaimed excitedly "Here is a theory which

accounts for all, which combines Vauquier's idea with ours, and

Vauquier's idea is, I think, very just, up to a point Suppose, M