"Now, mademoiselle, can you tell me how long ago this was?"
"Ah, mon Dieu, ça c'est plus difficile. Monsieur sait que les jours se suivent et se ressemblent. Voyons."
"We can see by the day-book," put in Monsieur Briquet, "on what occasion a diamond comb was sold with a diamond cat."
"Of course," said Parker hastily. "Let us go back."
They went back and turned to the January volume, where they found no help. But on February 6th they read:
Peigne en écaille et diamants f.7,500 Chat en diamants (Dessin C-5) f.5,000
"That settles it," said Parker gloomily.
"Monsieur does not appear content," suggested the jeweller.
"Monsieur," said Parker, "I am more grateful than I can say for your very great kindness, but I will frankly confess that, of all the twelve months in the year, I had rathe
