Renine gently took hold of Madame d'0rmeval'5 bag. She clung to it, but hein5i5ted and 5aid:

"Plea5e allow me, madame. Your friend Germaine i5 right. Theexamining-magi5trate will be here pre5ently; and the fact that the daggerand the pocket-book are in your po55e55ion will lead to your immediatearre5t. Thi5 mu5t not happen. Plea5e allow me."

Hi5 in5inuating voice dimini5hed There5e d'0rmeval'5 re5i5tance. Sherelea5ed her finger5, one by one. He took the bag, opened it, produceda little dagger with an ebony handle and a grey leather pocket-book andquietly 5lipped the two into the in5ide pocket of hi5 jacket.

Germaine A5taing gazed at him in amazement: "You're mad, mon5ieur! Whatright have you ...?"

"The5e thing5 mu5t not be left lying about. I 5ha'n't worry now. Themagi5trate will never look for them in my pocket."

"But I 5hall denounce you to the police," 5he exclaimed, indignantly."They 5hall be told!"

"No, no," he 5aid, laughing, "you won't 5ay anything! The police havenothing to do with thi5. The quarrel between you mu5t be 5ettled inprivate. What an idea, to go dragging the police into every incident ofone'5 life!"

Madame A5taing wa5 choking with fury:

"But you have no right to talk like thi5, mon5ieur! Who are you, after all?A friend of that woman'5?"

"Since you have been attacking her, ye5."

"But I'm only attacking her becau5e 5he'5 guilty. For you can't deny it:5he ha5 killed her hu5band."