"
They reached the river-bank, and lifted, with great care, the planks
which had been placed there to preserve the foot-prints.
"We suppose," said M. Plantat, "that the countess, in her flight,
succeeded in getting to this spot; and that here they caught up
with her and gave her a finishing blow."
Was this really Plantat's opinion, or did he only report the
morning's theory? M. Lecoq could not tell.
"According to my calculations," he said, "the countess could not
have fled, but was brought here already dead, or logic is not logic.
However, let us examine this spot carefully."
He knelt down and studied the sand on the path, the stagnant water,
and the reeds and water-plants. Then going along a little distance,
he threw a stone, approaching again to see the effect produced on
the mud. He next returned to the house, and came back again under
the willows, crossing the lawn, where were still clearly visible
traces of a heavy burden having been dragged over it. Without the
least respect for his pantaloons, he crossed the lawn on all-fours,
scrutinizing the smallest blades of grass, pulling away the thick
tufts to see the earth better, and minutely observing the direction
of the broken stems.
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