Bonavent was walking straight into the smoking-room.
"Here! where are you going to?
Wait here," said Charolais quickly.
"Take a chair; sit down." Bonavent sat down with a very stolid air, and Charolais looked at him doubtfully, in two minds whether to leave him there alone or not.
Before he had decided there came a thundering knock on the front door, not only loud but protracted.

Charolais looked round with a scared air; and then ran out of the room and down the stairs.
On the instant Bonavent was on his feet, and very far from stolid.

He opened the door of the smoking-room very gently and peered in.

It was empty.

He slipped noiselessly across the room, a pair of clippers ready in his hand, and cut the wires of the telephone.