As she was waiting for her lover to appear, Camille Langis came to the house. Naturally, she was not desirous of talking with her rejected suitor at that moment, and she gave him a rather frigid welcome.
"I see you don't want me," said Camille sadly, turning away.
"Of course I want you," she said, touched by the feeling he showed. "You are my oldest and dearest friend."
For a few minutes, they sat talking together, and Camille noticed the strange bracelet on her wrist, and praised its curious design. Antoinette, struck by a sudden idea, took off the Persian ornament, and gave it to Camille, saying:
"One of these plates, I believe, opens by a secret spring. You are an engineer, can you find this spring for me?"
"The middle plate is hollow," said Langis, tapping it with a pen-knife, "the other two are solid gold. Oh, what a clumsy fool I am! I have broken it open."
"Is there any writing?" said Antoinette. "Let me look."
Yes, there was a long list of dates, and at the end of the dates were written: "Nothing, nothing, nothing, that is all. Anna Gulof."
Antoinette became deathly pale; something seemed to break in her head; she felt that if she did not speak, her mind would give way. Yes, she could trust Camille, but how should she begin? She felt that she was stifling, and could not draw in enough air to keep breathing.
"What is the matter with you, dear Antoinette?" said Camille, alarmed by her pallor and her staring eyes.