"Monsieur and gentlemen," began Lucille, standing with a hand thrust into each pocket of her coquettish looking apron, and speaking with a pronounced French accent, "yesterday madame, my mistress, gave me permission to go to London to see my sister, who is ill. She had the _bonté_ to say that I might stay all night, but that I must return by the first train this morning. That is what I do. I come back by the early train, and I reach the house just as the clocks are about to strike seven. Five minutes later I enter madame's room. I call her softly. I say, '_Madame, je suis arrivée_.' She does not reply. I say to myself, 'She sleeps. I will not disturb her.' Then I go a little nearer, and then--_mon Dieu!_--I see something which frightens me. It is one big drop like blood on the pillow! Then I bend over her, and I see that her eyes are not shut, but open and staring; and then something tells me that they are the eyes of a dead woman." Drelincourt rose abruptly, and going to the side table, he poured out a glass of wine and drank it. Then he went back to his chair. "After that," said Sir John to Lucille, "you were just able to arouse the household, and then you fainted and knew nothing more for some time?" "_C'est vrai, monsieur_." "How long was it after you came to your senses before you discovered that your mistress' jewel case had been rifled?" "About half an hour, monsieur." "And what led you to make the discovery?" "Madame's jewel case was kept in the top drawer of the bureau in her dressing room. This morning I found the case on the floor near the window. It was empty." "You have furnished the chief constable with a description and list of the missing articles as far as your memory serves you?" "_Oui, monsieur_." "And at the proper time you will be prepared to swear that you saw the articles in question in your mistress' jewel case yesterday afternoon before you left home?" "_Certainement, monsieur_." "Had not your mistress, a few days ago, a difference or disagreement of some kind with one of the people in Mr. Drelincourt's employ?" "_Oui, monsieur_." "Who was the person with whom your mistress had the difference in question?" "_Cet homme lá_," replied Lucille, without a moment's hesitation, pointing a rigid forefinger at Gumley. "Be good enough, mademoiselle, to tell us what you know of the affair." "It was on Saturday last. Madame was dressed to go out riding, and was waiting for her horse to be brought round. That man was in the flower garden close by the long window which opens out of her boudoir. Madame had given him some instructions in the morning which he had not attended to, and she stepped out of the window to speak to him. Madame was a lady who would not have her slightest order neglected. She was very angry. She said something to him in her quick, haughty way, and he answered her back--insolently." "You say insolently. Can you not tell us exactly what he said?"