At The Villa Rose

"Then it was certainly for her famous collection of jewellery that

Madame Dauvray was murdered?"

"Certainly, monsieur."

"Now, where did she keep her jewellery?"

"In a safe in her bedroom, monsieur. Every night she took off what

she had been wearing and locked it up with the rest. She was never

too tired for that."

"And what did she do with the keys?"

"That I cannot tell you. Certainly she locked her rings and

necklaces away whilst I undressed her. And she laid the keys upon

the dressing-table or the mantel-shelf--anywhere. But in the

morning the keys were no longer where she had left them. She had

put them secretly away."

Hanaud turned to another point.

"I suppose that Mademoiselle Celie knew of the safe and that the

jewels were kept there?"

"Oh yes! Mademoiselle indeed was often in Madame Dauvray's room

when she was dressing or undressing. She must often have seen

madame take them out and lock them up again. But then, monsieur,

so did I."

Hanaud nodded to her with a friendly smile.

"Thank you once more, mademoiselle," he said. "The torture is

over. But of course Monsieur Fleuriot will require your presence."

Helene Vauquier looked anxiously towards him.

"But meanwhile I can go from this villa, monsieur?" she pleaded,

with a trembling voice.

"Certainly; you shall go to your friends at once."

"Oh, monsieur, thank you!" she cried, and suddenly she gave way.

The tears began to flow from her eyes. She buried her face in her

hands and sobbed. "It is foolish of me, but what would you?" She

jerked out the words between her sobs. "It has been too terrible."

"Yes, yes," said Hanaud soothingly. "The nurse will put a few

things together for you in a bag. You will not leuve Aix, of

course, and I will send some one with you to your friends."

The maid started violently.

"Oh, not a sergent-de-ville, monsieur, I beg of you. I should be

disgraced."

"No. It shall be a man in plain clothes, to see that you are not

hindered by reporters on the way."

Hanaud turned towards the door. On the dressing-table a cord was

lying. He took it up and spoke to the nurse.

"Was this the cord with which Helene Vauquier's hands were tied?"

"Yes, monsieur," she replied.

Hanaud handed it to the Commissaire.

"It will be necessary to keep that," he said.

It was a thin piece of strong whipcord. It was the same kind of

cord as that which had been found tied round Mme. Dauvray's

throat. Hanaud opened the door and turned back to the nurse.

"We will send for a cab for Mlle. Vauquier. You will drive with

her to her door. I think after that she will need no further help.

Pack up a few things and bring them down. Mlle. Vauquier can

follow, no doubt, now without assistance." And, with a friendly

nod, he left the room.