"I've seen a cat at the door of the concierge's rooms." "It must have been that cat which took this scrap of cloth to the edge of the well," said Guerchard gravely.
"This is ridiculous--preposterous!" cried M.Formery, beginning to flush.

"Here we're dealing with a most serious crime--a murder--the murder of Victoire--and you talk about cats!" "Victoire has not been murdered," said Guerchard; and his husky voice was gentler than ever, only just audible.
"But we don't know that--we know nothing of the kind," said M.Formery.
"I do," said Guerchard.
"You ?" said M.Formery.
"Yes," said Guerchard.
"Then how do you explain her disappearance ?" "If she had disappeared I shouldn't explain it," said Guerchard.
"But since she has disappeared ?" cried M.Formery, in a tone of exasperation.
"She hasn't," said Guerchard.
"You know nothing about it!" cried M.Formery, losing his temper.
"Yes, I do," said Guerchard, with the same gentleness.
"Come, do you mean to say that you know where she is ?" cried M.Formery.
"Certainly," said Guerchard.
"Do you mean to tell us straight out that you've seen her ?" cried M.
Formery.
"Oh, yes; I've seen her," said Guerchard.
"You've seen her--when ?" cried M.Formery.
Guerchard paused to consider.

Then he said gently: "It must have been between four and five minutes ago." "But hang it all, you haven't been out of this room!" cried M.Formery.
"No, I haven't," said Guerchard.
"And you've seen her ?" cried M.Formery.
"Yes," said Guerchard, raising his voice a little.
"Well, why the devil don't you tell us where she is?
Tell us!" cried M.
Formery, purple with exasperation.
"But you won't let me get a word out of my mouth," protested Guerchard with aggravating gentleness.
"Well, speak!" cried M.Formery; and he sank gasping on to a chair.
"Ah, well, she's here," said Guerchard.
"Here! How did she GET here ?" said M.Formery.
"On a mattress," said Guerchard.
M.Formery sat upright, almost beside himself, glaring furiously at Guerchard: "What do you stand there pulling all our legs for ?" he almost howled.
"Look here," said Guerchard.
He walked across the room to the fireplace, pushed the chairs which stood bound together on the hearth-rug to one side of the fireplace, and ran the heavy fire-screen on its casters to the other side of it, revealing to their gaze the wide, old-fashioned fireplace itself.

The iron brazier which held the coals had been moved into the corner, and a mattress lay on the floor of the fireplace.

On the mattress lay the figure of a big, middle-aged woman, half-dressed.