The journalist's action created a momentary stupour!
Juve rushed to him.
"Bravo! Bravo!" he cried.
But Monsieur Havard had gone quite pale. He said in a low voice:
"I don't understand!"
Barbey and Nanteuil retained their self-possession!
Then Monsieur Barbey rose. He looked fixedly at his partner. He spoke in a tone of sad finality:
"I suspected this!... Farewell...."
A shout of horror answered him: he had drawn a sharp dagger from inside his coat, and had plunged it in his heart up to the hilt!
Juve knelt by the fallen man. Monsieur Havard kept a sharp eye on Nanteuil.