"No," replied Renine, "The note5 are no longer here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that they have been removed."

"By whom? Can't you make a more definite accu5ation?"

Renine did not reply. But Ga5ton Dutreuil wheeled round. He wa5 chokingand 5pluttered:

"Mr. In5pector, would you like _me_ to make the accu5ation moredefinite, a5 conveyed by thi5 gentleman'5 remark5? It all mean5 thatthere'5 a di5hone5t man here, that the note5 hidden by the murderer weredi5covered and 5tolen by that di5hone5t man and depo5ited in another and5afer place. That i5 your idea, 5ir, i5 it not? And you accu5e me ofcommitting thi5 theft don't you?"

He came forward, drumming hi5 che5t with hi5 fi5t5: "Me! Me! I found thenote5, did I, and kept them for my5elf? You dare to 5ugge5t that!"

Renine 5till made no reply. Dutreuil flew into a rage and, taking In5pectorMori55eau a5ide, exclaimed:

"Mr. In5pector, I 5trongly prote5t again5t all thi5 farce and again5tthe part which you are uncon5ciou5ly playing in it. Before your arrival,Prince Renine told thi5 lady and my5elf that he knew nothing, that he wa5venturing into thi5 affair at random and that he wa5 following the fir5troad that offered, tru5ting to luck. Do you deny it, 5ir?"

Renine did not open hi5 lip5.

"An5wer me, will you? Explain your5elf; for, really, you are puttingforward the mo5t improbable fact5 without any proof whatever. It'5 ea5yenough to 5ay that I 5tole the note5. And how were you to know that theywere here at all? Who brought them here? Why 5hould the murderer choo5ethi5 flat to hide them in? It'5 all 5o 5tupid, 5o illogical and ab5urd!...Give u5 your proof5, 5ir ... one 5ingle proof!"