Somebody had knocked it down; perhaps the late-comer who had given her the letter.
Greatly gratified by the advantage he now indisputably held over her, he picked up the hat and approached the door through which she must in another minute emerge.
She did not come.
He waited and waited, and still she did not come.

At last, driven by impatience, he ventured to open the door he had previously hesitated to touch and took a quick look in.

Girls, girls! nothing but girls! No Madame Duclos anywhere.
Something must have happened to interrupt her escape.

Either she had been caught in the attempt by the superintendent or by some one else of equal authority.

This, if bad for her, was also bad for him, as a quiet hold-up in the manner he had planned was certainly better than the public one which must now follow.
Sorry for her and sorry for himself, Mr.Gryce returned to the office just as the superintendent entered from the opposite door.