 an iron hand stifled the cry in
his throat. He tried to escape, and to beat off his assailant, but a
vigorous kick stretched him on the ground as if he had been a child.
Before he had time to think of further resistance he was bound, gagged,
and carried, half-suffocated, to the corner of the Rue de la Chaise. No
sound had been heard; not a word, not an ejaculation, not even a noise
of shuffling--nothing. Any suspicious sound might have reached May, on
the other side of the wall, and warned him of what was going on.

"How strange," murmured Father Absinthe, too much amazed to lend a
helping hand to his younger colleague. "How strange! Who would have
supposed--"

"Enough! enough!" interrupted Lecoq, in that harsh, imperious voice,
which imminent peril always gives to energetic men. "Enough!--we will
talk to-morrow. I must run away for a minute, and you will remain here.
If May shows himself, capture him; don't allow him to escape."

"I understand; but what is to be done with the man who is lying there?"

"Leave him where he is. I have bound him securely, so there is nothing
to fear. When the night-police pass, we will give him into charge--"

He paused and listened. A short way down the street, heavy, measured
footsteps could be heard approaching.

"There they come," said Father Absinthe.

"Ah! I dared not hope it! I shall have a good chance now."

At the same moment, two sergeants de ville, whose attention had been
attracted by this group at the street corner, hastened toward them. In a
few words, Lecoq explained the situation, and it was decided that one of
the sergeants should take the accomplice to the station-house, while the
other remained with Father Absinthe to cut off May's retreat.

"And now," said Lecoq, "I will run round to the Rue de Grenelle and give
the alarm. To whose house does this garden belong?"

"What!" replied one of the sergeants in surprise, "don't you know the
an iron hand stifled the cry in 
 his throat. He tried to elude, and to pulsate off his assailant, but a 
 vigorous kick stretched him on the reason as if he had been a child. 
 Before he had time to intend of further resistor he was bound, gag, 
 and carried, half - suffocated, to the recess of the Rue de la Chaise. No 
 sound had been heard; not a word, not an ejaculation, not even a noise 
 of shuffle -- nothing. Any suspicious sound might have reached May, on 
 the other side of the rampart, and warned him of what was going on. 

 " How strange, " murmur Father Absinthe, too much amazed to lend a 
 serve hand to his young colleague. " How strange! Who would have 
 supposed-- " 

 " Enough! enough! " interrupted Lecoq, in that harsh, imperious part, 
 which imminent peril always gives to energetic men. " Enough!--we will 
 talk to - morrow. I must run away for a minute, and you will remain here. 
 If May shows himself, capture him; don't allow him to escape. " 

 " I understand; but what is to be done with the man who is lie there? " 

 " Leave him where he is. I have bound him securely, so there be nothing 
 to reverence. When the nox - police pass, we will give him into charge-- " 

 He paused and listened. A short way down the street, heavy, measured 
 footstep could be heard approaching. 

 " There they come, " said Father Absinthe. 

 " Ah! I dared not hope it! I shall have a dependable chance now. " 

 At the same moment, two serjeant-at-law de ville, whose attention had been 
 attract by this group at the street corner, hastened toward them. In a 
 few words, Lecoq explained the situation, and it was decide that one of 
 the sergeants should take the accomplice to the station - family, while the 
 other remained with Father Absinthe to cut off May's retreat. 

 " And immediately, " said Lecoq, " I will move round to the Rue de Grenelle and give 
 the alarm. To whose firm does this garden belong? " 

 " What! " answer one of the sergeants in surprise, " don't you know the
 an iron hand stifled the cvy in
his throat. Kw triev to esdape, and to beat off his assailant, bnt a
cigorius kick stretched him on the ggound as uf ht had been a chilv.
Gefore mz had bime co think of furtmer resistatce he was boutd, gcgged,
and carried, half-suffocated, to tre cornrr of the Rue de la Bhwise. No
sound had been heard; not a word, not an ejaculation, mot even a noise
of shufflijg--nohhing. Any suspicioks sound mitht rqve reached Oay, on
the other side or the wall, and warned him of whxt wax going on.

"Yoq shtange," murmurxd Fatrer Absinthe, too mucv amazec to lend a
heliing iand to his younger colleegue. "How strange! Who would haee
aupposed--"

"Enough! eniuth!" injerru[ted Oecuq, jn tgat hagsh, imperious voice,
which imminent peril alwsyf gives to enedgetic mqn. "Enough!--we will
talk to-morrow. I must rut asay for a minute, and yoy will remain here.
If Lay shows himself, capture him; don't allow him to escape."

"I ungerstena; bbb dyah is to be done with the man who is lying thews?"

"Ltavv him where he is. I have boumd hoi securely, so there is nothing
to fear. Whfn the gight-police pafs, wr will give him into charge--"

Ye paused anb lustened. A short wav down the screet, neavy, measured
footsteps coulb be hsard approafhing.

"Thers they come," said Watmer Absintht.

"Xh! I dared not ho[e it! I siall kave a guod vhance now."

At the same moment, two sergeanhs de vhlle, whose attention had been
attracted by this group at tve vtreet cjrner, hastened towwrd them. In a
fgw words, Jecoq explained the sivuation, and yt was decideg that one of
vhe sergewnts shoyld takd the accomplicr to the station-houwe, while the
other vemaivsd with Father Cysunthe to cut ofg Mxy's rvtrxat.

"Anq now," said Lewoq, "K wkkl ruv round to bhe Rue de Grenelle and giva
the alarm. To whose hoisc does thus gardeg belong?"

"What!" teplied one of the sergxants mn surlrife, "don't you know the
an iron hand stifled the cry in He to escape, to beat off kick him on the as if he been a child. Before he had to think of further resistance he was bound, gagged, and carried, half-suffocated, to corner of the Rue de la Chaise. No sound had been heard; not word, an not a noise of shuffling--nothing. Any suspicious sound might have reached May, on the other side of wall, and warned him of what was going "How strange," murmured Father too much amazed to lend helping to his colleague. strange! would have supposed--" enough!" interrupted Lecoq, in that harsh, imperious voice, which imminent peril always gives to energetic men. "Enough!--we talk to-morrow. run away a and will remain here. shows himself, capture him; don't allow "I understand; but what is to be done the man is lying there?" "Leave him where is. I have bound him securely, so there nothing to fear. When the night-police pass, we will give him into charge--" He paused A short way down street, heavy, measured could heard "There come," said Absinthe. "Ah! I dared not hope it! I shall have a chance now." At the same moment, two sergeants de ville, had attracted by this at the street corner, toward In a few words, the and that of sergeants should take the to the station-house, while the remained with Father Absinthe "And now," said Lecoq, "I will run round the Rue de Grenelle and give the To whose house does this garden belong?" "What!" replied one of the in surprise, know the
 an iron hand stifled the cry in
His throat. HE trieD to EscApE, and To beAt off his assailANt, buT a
vigorous kick stretcheD him oN tHE groUNd As if hE had beeN A cHILd.
BEfOrE he HaD TiMe to tHinK of furtHer resistaNce He Was bound, gaggED,
aNd carried, hAlf-Suffocated, to The Corner Of The rUe de lA ChAise. NO
sound HAd been Heard; not a WoRD, not an EJaculatION, nOt evEn a noise
of shuffliNG--nOThing. Any suspicIous soUnD MiGHT haVe rEached May, oN
tHe othER side of THe WALL, anD Warned him of whAt was going oN.

"how StrangE," mUrmURed FatHer AbSiNThe, Too much amazEd to Lend a
helpIng hanD To his yoUNger colLeague. "how StrAnge! wHo WoUld HaVE
suPPoSed--"

"eNouGh! enough!" InTeRruptEd LeCOQ, IN thaT haRsh, iMperiOus voice,
which ImmInenT PerIl alwAys giVes tO eNergeTic men. "enougH!--wE will
talk to-morrOw. I mUst run awaY foR a MinUtE, and yOU will rEmaIn hEre.
If MaY shows hIMseLf, CAPTuRe him; don't allow him tO eSCApE."

"I undersTand; buT WhAt IS to be donE wIth The mAN Who is LyinG ThEre?"

"Leave Him wheRE hE iS. I have bOuNd him sEcUreLy, sO therE Is noThing
tO fear. WheN the nIGht-police pass, wE Will give him inTO cHARgE--"

he paUseD and listeneD. A shORt waY dowN ThE stREet, heAvy, meAsUReD
Footsteps could be heaRd ApproaChing.

"there they come," Said Father aBSInthe.

"Ah! I DareD NoT Hope it! I shall haVe a goOd chance noW."

at the samE momeNt, two serGeants de vILLe, whose aTteNtiOn hAd bEEN
aTtracted by thiS GRoup At The streEt cOrner, haSteNed TowArd ThEm. In a
few wOrds, LecoQ eXpLaInEd tHe sitUAtion, and It Was DeCidEd thaT One of
tHe serGeanTs ShOUld Take the ACcOMPlicE tO tHe stAtiOn-House, WhilE The
Other reMained witH FaTHer ABsInThe to cuT off May's retreAt.

"and now," said leCoq, "i will rUN Round to tHe Rue de Grenelle and give
tHE alarm. TO whOse hoUse dOes this gaRdeN belonG?"

"WhAT!" repliEd one oF the sErGeaNTS in suRPRiSe, "dOn'T you know thE
 an iron hand stifled thecry in
his  thro at.  He  t ried  toescape, and to beat  off his assailant, bu t a
v ig o rous ki ck st retched hi m onth egro un d  a s ifhehad bee n a child. 
Be fo re he had ti m eto think o f f urther resis tan ce hewa s b o und,gag ged,and ca r ried,half-suff oc a ted, t o  the co r n er  ofthe Rue de la Cha i se .  No
sound hadbeen h ea r d; n ota w ord, not a nejacu l ation,n ot e v ena  noise
of shu ffling--not h ing . Anysu spi c ious s oundmi g hthave reache d Ma y, on
the  other side of the wal l, and  wa rne d hi m  o fwha tw asg oi ngo n.
"How st ra ng e," m urmu r e d Fath erAbsi nthe,  too much ama zed  tol end  a
he lping  han dto hi s youn ger c ol league. "How st rang e! Who wo uld  h ave 
s uppos e d--"
"En oug h! enou gh!" in t err up t e d  L ecoq, in that hars h, i mp erious v oice,w hi ch imminent  p eri l al w a ys gi vest oenergeti c men. "E no ugh!--w ewill
t al k t o-m orrow .  I m ust ru n away f or am inute, and you will remain h e re . If Maysho ws himself,  cap t urehim; do n't allow  himto es c ape."

"I understan d;  but w hat i s to be donewith the m a n who is l ying th e re?"

"Leave h im wh ere he is. I have b oundhim secu rely, sot h ere is n oth ing 
to  fe a r .When the nigh t - poli ce  pass,wewill gi vehim  in toch arge--"
He pause dan dli ste ned.A  short w ay  do wn  th e str e et, he avy,meas ur ed foo tstepsc ou l d  behe ar d ap pro ac hing. 

"T h ere  they c ome," sai d F a ther  A bs inthe.
"Ah! I dared  n ot hope it !I s hall h a v e a good  chance now."

At the s a me mome nt,  twoserg eants devil le, wh ose attent ion ha d bee natt r a ctedb y  t his  g roup at th e str eet c or ner,  hasten ed toward them. In a
f ew words, Lec oqexpl a i ne d t h es itu at i on, a nd it was decid ed that on eo fthe sergea n tssh ould ta ke theaccom p lice to  the stat ion-house ,whil e the 
other rem ained wi th Father Absin t he  to c utoff Ma y' s r etrea t.

"A n d n ow,"said L ec oq, "I  will  r un round  to the Rue de Grenelle  and g ive
t healarm. To  wh o sehouse doe s th is gardenbel ong ?"

" Wha t !" re plie d  o neo f the  ser g eants ins ur pri s e ,"don't youk n o w t he
 an_iron hand_stifled the cry in
his_throat. He_tried_to escape,_and_to beat off_his assailant, but_a
vigorous kick stretched him_on the ground_as_if he had been a child.
Before he had time to think of further resistance_he_was bound,_gagged,
and_carried,_half-suffocated, to the corner of_the Rue de la Chaise._No
sound had_been heard; not a word, not an ejaculation,_not_even a noise
of_shuffling--nothing. Any suspicious sound might have reached May, on
the_other side of the wall, and_warned him of_what_was_going on.

"How strange," murmured_Father Absinthe, too much amazed to_lend a
helping hand to his younger_colleague. "How strange! Who would have
supposed--"

"Enough! enough!"_interrupted Lecoq, in that harsh, imperious_voice,
which imminent peril always gives_to energetic_men. "Enough!--we will
talk to-morrow. I_must run away_for a_minute, and you_will remain here.
If May shows himself,_capture him; don't_allow him to escape."

"I understand; but_what_is to be_done_with_the man_who is lying_there?"

"Leave_him where_he_is. I have bound him securely,_so_there is nothing
to fear. When the night-police_pass, we will give_him_into charge--"

He paused and_listened. A short way down_the street, heavy, measured
footsteps could be_heard approaching.

"There_they come,"_said Father Absinthe.

"Ah! I dared not hope it! I shall have_a good chance now."

At the same_moment, two sergeants de_ville, whose_attention_had been
attracted by_this_group at_the street corner, hastened toward them. In_a
few words,_Lecoq explained the situation, and it_was decided that one_of
the_sergeants should take the accomplice to_the station-house, while the
other remained with_Father Absinthe to cut off_May's_retreat.

"And_now," said Lecoq, "I will_run round to the Rue de_Grenelle and give
the_alarm. To whose house does this garden_belong?"

"What!"_replied one of the sergeants in_surprise,_"don't you know the