“‘Well,’ he continued, calmly launching his thunderbolt, ‘in that case, you, Monsieur, will be left penniless.’ 101
“‘Ah!’ I cried, aghast, and the lawyer nodded, ‘I trust that you now see the seriousness of the situation, Monsieur.’
“‘Ah, but there is one point of far greater importance than you have mentioned,’ I cried, with such earnestness that he leaned back in his chair with a sigh of resignation, saying, ‘Great heavens! What could be more important than that?’
“‘Many things, Monsieur, which, when you have heard of them, will cause you to agree with me.’
“My manner may have impressed him, perhaps my earnestness; for he bade me speak out freely, leaving nothing untold. This I did, to the most minute details, save, of course, those things sacred only to Jeanne and me. When I had finished, we had a long talk, during which I came to know the value of this new ally of mine.
“So it was finally decided that I was to travel to America for the purpose of hunting up one of the chief witnesses of my father’s will and beg him to return to France with me. Meanwhile, my father’s attorney assured me he would not be idle.”
“And did you find him—the witness, I mean?” said Mr. Payton.
“No, Monsieur, I did not; but, after a long and exhaustive search, I learned that the one I sought had sailed a week ago on the steamer ‘Baltic,’ so all my journey has been for nothing.”
“What difference does it make? At least, you accomplished your purpose.”
“That is true, Madame, but he would have sailed without aid of mine, and it maddens me to think that all this time I have been wasting in a fruitless search, my Jeanette is still unfound. Where may she not be? Dead—perhaps——” His voice trailed off into silence and they sat motionless, fascinated by the spell of romance, tragedy and mystery he had woven.