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This is the story as Mr Ricardo wrote it out from the statenol

Obscurities which had puzzled him were made clear But he was

still unaware how Hanaud had worked out the solution

"You promised ether after the trial was over at Aix The two men had

just finished luncheon at the Cercle and were sitting over their

coffee Hanaud lighted a cigar

"There were difficulties, of course," he said; "the crime was so

carefully planned The little details, such as the footprints, the

absence of any e of the

motor-car, the dinner at Annecy, the purchase of the cord, the

want of any sign of a struggle in the little salon, were all

carefully thought out Had not one little accident happened, and

one little mistake been made in consequence, I doubt if we should

have laid our hands upon one of the gang We ht have suspected

Wethermill; we should hardly have secured him, and we should very

likely never have known of the Tace family That mistake was, as

you no doubt are fully aware--"

"The failure of Wethermill to discover Mme Dauvray's jewels,"

said Ricardo at once

"No, my friend," answered Hanaud "That made them keep Mlle Celie

alive It enabled us to save her e had discovered the

whereabouts of the gang It did not help us very much to lay our

hands upon them No; the little accident which happened was the