He addressed Madge in broken English, but so quickly and with so strong a French accent that Courthope only gathered part of his errand.

He had come, it seemed, from the stepmother to tell something concerning a certain Xavier, who had been sent to them the evening before.

Before he had finished calling, Madge and Morin had come to the place where the thief lay, and, looking down upon him, Madge gave a little cry.
The new-comer came up.

He looked as if he might be of the grade of a notary's clerk or a country chemist.

He did not seem surprised to see who the man was.