Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-03-28
H
E OF THE TIGER
MAURICE LEBLANC
TRANSLATED BY
EIXEI DE MATTOs
CHAPTER FOUR. (continued.)

II don't know. They have been
there a long time"
"Mazeroux," said M. Desma-
lions, "try them on that door"
Mazeroux did SO. The door
opened.
Eyes," said Nine. Fauville. "I
remember now, my husband gave
them to me. They were duplicates
of his own keys"
The words were uttered in the
most natural tone and as though
the speaker did not even suspect
the terrible charge that was form
ing against her.
And nothing was more agoniz-
ing than this tranquility. Was it
q sign Of absolute innocence, or the
internal craft of a criminal whom
nothing is able to stir2 Did she
realize nothing Of the tragedy
which was taking place and Of
which she was the unconscious
heroine9 Or did she guess the
terrible accusation which was
gradually closing in upon her on
every side and which threatened
her with the most awful danger2
But, in that case, how could she
have been guilty Of the extraordi-
nary blunder of keeping those two
keysf
A series of questions suggested
itself to the minds of all those
present. The project of police put
them as follows:
"You were out, madame, were
you not, when the murders were
committed9"
eyes"
"You were at the operaf"
eyes; and l went on to a party
at the house of one Of my friends,
Nine. d'Ersingen."
"Did your chauffeur drive
you2"
"To the opera, yes. But I sent
him back to his garage; and he
came to fetch me at the party"
II see," said M. Desmalions.
"But how did you go from the
opera to Nine. d'Ersingen's?"
For the first time Nine. Fauville
seemed to understand that she was
the victim Of a regular cross exam
nation; and her look and attitude
betrayed a certain u%neasiness. She
replied:
$ took a motor cab"
I'm the street,"
Ton the Place de ly'Opera."
"At IL o'clock, therefore?"
mo, at 11:30: | left before the
opera was over"
"You were in a hurry to get to
your friend's9"
eyes or rather"
She stopped; her cheeks were
scarlet; her lips and chin trem-
bled; and she asked:
"Why do you ask me all these
questions3"
"They r necessary, madame.
They may throw a light on what
we want to know. / beg you.
therefore, to answer them. Al
what time did you reach your
friends housef"
II hardly know. l did not no.
tice the time"
Ibid you go straight there7"
almost"
"How do you mean, almosti"
II had q little headache and
told the driver to 60 up the
Champs Elysees and the Ave.
nue. du Bots 49, very slowly - and
then down the Champs Elysees
again-"
She was becoming more and
more embarrassed. Her voice
grew indistinct. She lowered her
head and was silent.
Certainly her silence contained
no confession, and there was moth
ing emitting any one to believe
that her detection was other than
. consequence of her grief. But
yet she seemed SO weary as to give
the impression that, feeling her
self lost, she was giving up the
fight. And it was almost a feeling
of pity that was entertained for
this woman against whom all the
circumstances seemed to be con
spring, and who defended herself
50 badly that her cross examiner
hesitated to press her yet further.
M. Desmalions, in fact, wore an
irresolute air, as if the victory
had been too easy, and as if he had
some scruple about pursuing it.
Mechanically he observed Per
emma, who passed him q slip Of
paper, saying: b
Mime, a 'Ersingen's telephone
number. III
Destinations murmured:
Yes, true, they may know
And takin0 down the receiver.