"According to this note-book," the commissioner said to his secretary, " thirty-five or thirty-six thousand francs must have been taken from the safe; but there are left deeds and papers for a large sum."
Saniel, who had finished his report, did not take his eyes from the note- book, and what he could see reassured him. Evidently these accounts were reduced to a minimum: a date, a name, a sum, and after this name a capital P, which, without doubt, meant "paid." It was hardly possible that with such a system Caffie had ever taken the trouble to enter the number of the bills that had passed through his hands; in any case, if he did, it was not in this note-book. Would another one be found?
"My report is finished," he said. "Here it is."
"Since you are here, perhaps you can give me some information concerning the habits of the victim and the persons he received."
"Not at all. I have known him but a short time, and he was my patient, as I was his client, by accident. He undertook an affair for me, and I gave him advice; he was in the last stage of diabetes. The assassin hastened his death only a short time-a few days."
"That is nothing; he hastened it."
"Oh, certainly! Otherwise, if he is skilful in cutting throats, perhaps he is less so in making a diagnosis of their maladies."
"That is probable," responded the commissioner, smiling. "You think it was a butcher?"
"It seems probable."
"The knife?"