He looked out of it, with dull eyes which saw nothing, the while his mind worked upon the facts he had discovered.
He had stood there plunged in reflection for perhaps ten minutes, when there came a sound of voices and footsteps on the stairs.

He awoke from his absorption, seemed to prick his ears, then slipped a leg over the window-ledge, and disappeared from sight down the ladder.
The door opened, and in came M.Formery, the Duke, and the inspector.
M.Formery looked round the room with eyes which seemed to expect to meet a familiar sight, then walked to the other drawing-room and looked round that.

He turned to the policeman, who had stepped inside the drawing-room, and said sharply, "M.

Guerchard is not here." "I left him here," said the policeman.

"He must have disappeared.