"You will please go at once, Monsieur," the voice of the Judge was saying. "Madame and I will await your return."
And so with a backward glance, Monsieur Matthieu went out.
"You think you have found a clue, Madame?" asked Monsieur Simon with an air of encouragement.
"I don't know, Monsieur—a hope—perhaps a vain one. But you are friendly. You shall see."
And crossing quickly in front of him she went directly to the lay figure and examined it minutely.
"This old skirt, Monsieur, as you will observe, is fastened by buttons and is somewhat twisted to one side."
"Yes, Madame."
"This was the first thing that attracted my attention. But one button holds it, and it is fastened at the wrong button-hole."
"And what does that signify?"
"Merely that it has been tampered with—I did not fasten it in this way, Monsieur," she said positively.