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They got into a cab outside the door Perrichetthe upinding road past the

Hotel Bernascon A hundred yards beyond the hotel the cab stopped

opposite to a villa A hedge separated the garden of the villa

froe rose a board with the words "To

Let" upon it At the gate a gendarate Ricardo saw Louis Besnard, the Commissaire, and

Servettaz, Mme Dauvray's chauffeur

"It is here," said Besnard, as the party descended from the cab,

"in the coach-house of this empty villa"

"Here?" cried Ricardo in amazement

The discovery upset all his theories He had expected to hear that

it had been found fifty leagues away; but here, within a couple of

miles of the Villa Rose itself--the idea seemed absurd! Why take

it away at all--unless it was taken away as a blind? That

supposition found its way into Ricardo's ht upon it; for Hanaud had seeht be still in Aix

Indeed, a glance at him showed that he was not discomposed by

their discovery

"When was it found?" Hanaud asked

"This ardener corounds in order Fortunately Wednesday is one of his

days Fortunately, too, there was rain yesterday evening He

noticed the tracks of the wheels which you can see on the gravel,

and since the villa is empty he was surprised He found the coach-

house door forced and the ht the news of his discovery to the depot"