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The party followed the Co the drive to the coach-

house

"We will have the car brought out," said Hanaud to Servettaz

It was a big and powerful machine with a limousine body,

luxuriously fitted and cushioned in the shade of light grey The

outside panels of the car were painted a dark grey The car had

hardly been brought out into the sunlight before a cry of

stupefaction burst from the lips of Perrichet

"Oh!" he cried, in utter abaseivesharply as he spoke

Perrichet was standing with his round eyes staring and his ape

"Because, --

at the corner of the road--not fifty yards from the Villa Rose"

"What!" cried Ricardo

"You saw it!" exclaimed Wethermill

Upon their faces was reflected now the stupefaction of Perrichet

"But you must have made a mistake," said the Commissaire

"No, no, monsieur," Perrichet insisted "It was that car It was

that nu outside

the gate of the villa on duty where M le Commissaire had placed

me The car appeared at the corner and slackened speed It see to turn into the road and come down past

me But instead the driver, as if he were now sure of his way, put

the car at its top speed and went on into Aix"