Next morning the Count and Countess de Chagny were taking their coffee with Raoul Davernoie in the big dining-room of the château when the porter came to inform them that at daybreak the directress of Dorothy's Circus had asked him to open the gates and that the caravan had departed. The directress had left a letter addressed to the Count de Chagny. All three of them went upstairs to the Countess's boudoir. The letter ran as follows:
"My cousin"—offended by her brusqueness, the Count started—then he went on:
"My cousin: I took an oath, and I keep it. The man who was making excavations round the château and last night stole the earrings, is the same person who five years ago stole the medal and poisoned my father.
"I hand him over to you. Let justice take its course.
"Dorothy, Princess of Argonne."
The Count and Countess and their cousin gazed at one another in amazement. What did it mean? Who was the culprit. How and where had she handed him over?
"It's a pity that d'Estreicher isn't down," said the Count. "He is so helpful."
The Countess took up the card-board box which d'Estreicher had entrusted to her and opened it without more ado. The box contained exactly what Dorothy had told them, some white pebbles and shells. Then why did d'Estreicher seem to attach so much importance to his finding it?
Some one knocked gently at the boudoir door. It was the major-domo, the Count's confidential man.