Suddenly François gave an exclamation.
‘I believe I can get you what you want, messieurs, if you will wait a moment.’
‘Yes,’ he said, as he returned a few seconds later, ‘this will perhaps do. It was framed in the servants’ hall.’
It was a short document giving the work of the different servants, their hours of duty, and other similar information, and was written in the hand, so far as the detectives could recollect, of the letter of farewell to M. Boirac. Lefarge put it away carefully in his notebook.
‘Now let us see Madame’s room.’
They examined the bedroom, looking particularly for old letters, but without success. Next they interviewed the other servants, also fruitlessly.
‘All we want now,’ said Lefarge to the old butler, ‘is a list of the guests at that dinner, or at least some of them.’
‘I can tell you, I think, all of them, monsieur,’ returned François, and Lefarge noted the names in his book.
‘What time is M. Boirac likely to return?’ asked Burnley, when they had finished.
‘He should have been here before this, monsieur. He generally gets back by half-past six.’