Both united their feeble strength and carried her to her bed.
On his way to join us Rouletabille passed by the desk.

On the floor, near it, he saw a large packet.

He knelt down and, finding the wrapper loose, he examined it, and made out an enormous quantity of papers and photographs.

On one of the papers he read: "New differential electroscopic condenser.

Fundamental properties of substance intermediary between ponderable matter and imponderable ether." Strange irony of fate that the professor's precious papers should be restored to him at the very time when an attempt was being made to deprive him of his daughter's life! What are papers worth to him now?
The morning following that awful night saw Monsieur de Marquet once more at the chateau, with his Registrar and gendarmes.