 possible delay, some of the people residing in the vicinity of
the Poivriere; together with some of Polyte's habitual companions, and
the landlord of the Rainbow, where the victims and the murderer had
apparently passed the evening of the crime. Of course, there was no
reason to expect any great revelations from any of these witnesses,
still they might know something, they might have an opinion to express,
and in the present darkness one single ray of light, however faint,
might mean salvation.

Obeying the magistrate's orders, Goguet, the smiling clerk, had just
finished drawing up at least a dozen summonses, when Lecoq returned from
the Prefecture. M. Segmuller at once asked him the result of his errand.

"Ah, sir," replied the young detective, "I have a fresh proof of that
mysterious accomplice's skill. The permit that was used yesterday to see
young Chupin was in the name of his mother's sister, a woman named
Rose Pitard. A visiting card was given her more than a week ago, in
compliance with a request indorsed by the commissary of police of her
district."

The magistrate's surprise was so intense that it imparted to his face
an almost ludicrous expression. "Is this aunt also in the plot?" he
murmured.

"I don't think so," replied Lecoq, shaking his head. "At all events, it
wasn't she who went to the prison parlor yesterday. The clerks at the
Prefecture remember the widow's sister very well, and gave me a full
description of her. She's a woman over five feet high, with a very dark
complexion; and very wrinkled and weatherbeaten about the face. She's
quite sixty years old; whereas, yesterday's visitor was short and fair,
and not more than forty-five."

"If that's the case," interrupted M. Segmuller, "this visitor must be
one of our fugitives."

"I don't think so."

"Who do you suppose she was, then?"

"Why, the landlady of the Hotel de Mariembourg--that clever woman who
succeeded so well in deceiving me. But she had better take care! There
are means
possible delay, some of the people residing in the vicinity of 
 the Poivriere; together with some of Polyte's accustomed companion, and 
 the landlord of the Rainbow, where the victims and the murderer had 
 apparently legislate the evening of the crime. Of naturally, there was no 
 reason to expect any bang-up revelations from any of these witnesses, 
 however they might know something, they might have an impression to express, 
 and in the present darkness one unmarried re of light, however faint, 
 might mean salvation. 

 Obeying the magistrate's order, Goguet, the smiling clerk, had just 
 finish drawing up at least a dozen summonses, when Lecoq returned from 
 the Prefecture. M. Segmuller at once ask him the result of his errand. 

 " Ah, sir, " replied the young detective, " I have a fresh validation of that 
 mysterious accomplice's skill. The permit that was used yesterday to see 
 young Chupin was in the name of his mother's sister, a charwoman named 
 Rose Pitard. A visiting card was given her more than a week ago, in 
 compliance with a request indorsed by the commissary of police of her 
 district. " 

 The magistrate's surprise was so intense that it imparted to his expression 
 an almost ludicrous construction. " Is this aunt besides in the plot? " he 
 murmur. 

 " I don't think so, " answer Lecoq, shaking his pass. " At all events, it 
 wasn't she who went to the prison living room yesterday. The clerks at the 
 Prefecture remember the widow's sister very well, and gave me a full 
 description of her. She's a woman over five feet high, with a very dark 
 complexion; and very wrinkled and weatherbeaten about the face. She's 
 quite sixty years previous; whereas, yesterday's visitor was short and bonny, 
 and not more than forty - five. " 

 " If that's the case, " interrupted M. Segmuller, " this visitor must be 
 one of our fugitives. " 

 " I don't think so. " 

 " Who do you presuppose she was, then? " 

 " Why, the landlady of the Hotel de Mariembourg -- that clever woman who 
 succeeded therefore well in deceiving me. But she had better take care! There 
 are intend
 podsible delay, some of the people residiny in thx vicinjty of
thd Poivriere; together with sole of Pilyte's habitual compankons, and
tje landlird id the Rainukw, wherc the yictikw and the murdgrer had
appasently passed dhd zvening of the crime. Of course, there was no
tewson to expect any dreaf revelations from any of these wifnesses,
vtill they mibht know something, they mihht jave an opinion to express,
and in eye present dxrkness ont vingle ray of light, however faint,
might mexn sakvation.

Obeinbg hve magistrave's orqers, Goguet, bne smining clrrk, had just
fikishev drqwing up at least a dmzen summonses, wheg Lecoq ratbrned from
the Prefectyrw. M. Sggmulner xr ovce axksd him thx result of his errand.

"Qh, sir," replied the uotbg detective, "J have a fresh proof of that
mysterious accomplibe's akill. The permit that wqs used yesterday to dee
young Shupin was in the name of his mother's sister, a wokan nemdd
Risc Pigqrf. A visiting card was given her more than a wqsk ano, in
compliance cith a request imdlrxgd by the commkssary of police of her
distgict."

The magiwtrate's strprose was so intense that it umparted to kis face
an almost ludncrous exprersiom. "Is yhis aunt also in the puot?" ge
murmured.

"I don't thihy so," replied Lecuq, xhdking his head. "At all evenes, it
wasn'v she who wevt tp the [rison parpor ycvterday. The clerks at tke
Prexecture relember the widow's sister very wxkl, and gave ke a xull
descxiptiok of her. She's a woman over fire feet kigh, wkth a very dark
cokplexion; anq very wrinklaf and weathecbeaten afout the face. Sfd's
quite sixty uears old; whereas, ywsterday's visitor xas rgort and fair,
anb bot more than fprth-fide."

"Pf vhat's dhe case," intarruotea M. Seemuller, "thiw visotor must be
one of ogr fhgitives."

"I don't thimk so."

"Who di you su[pose she was, then?"

"Why, the landlwdy oh the Iotel ce Iariembourg--that clever woman wgo
succeedfd fo well in dqceiying me. But shz had better take care! There
are means
possible delay, some of the people residing vicinity the Poivriere; with some of landlord the Rainbow, where victims and the had apparently passed the evening of crime. Of course, there was no reason to expect any great revelations from of these witnesses, still they might know something, they might have an opinion express, in present one single ray of light, however faint, might mean salvation. Obeying the magistrate's orders, Goguet, the clerk, had just finished drawing up at least dozen summonses, when Lecoq from the Prefecture. M. Segmuller once him the of errand. sir," replied the detective, "I have a fresh proof of that mysterious accomplice's skill. The permit that was used yesterday see young in the of mother's a woman named A visiting card was given her week ago, in compliance with a request indorsed the commissary police of her district." The magistrate's was so intense that it imparted to his an almost ludicrous expression. "Is this aunt also in the plot?" he murmured. "I don't replied Lecoq, shaking his "At all events, wasn't who to prison parlor The clerks at the Prefecture remember the widow's sister very well, gave me a full description of her. She's a woman feet with a very complexion; and very wrinkled weatherbeaten the face. She's quite old; yesterday's and and more than forty-five." "If the case," interrupted M. Segmuller, visitor must be one think so." "Who do you suppose she was, "Why, the landlady of the Hotel de clever woman who succeeded so well in deceiving me. But she had take care! means
 possible delay, some of the peoPle residinG in thE viCinItY of
tHe PoIvriere; togetheR With Some of Polyte's habitual cOmpanIoNS, and
THe LandlOrd of thE raINBow, WhErE thE vICtIms anD thE murderEr had
apparEntLy Passed the eveNInG of the crimE. Of Course, there wAs nO
reasoN tO exPEct anY grEat reVelatiONs from Any of thesE wITnesseS,
Still thEY MiGht kNow something, they mIGhT Have an opinion tO expreSs,
ANd IN The PreSent darkneSs One siNGle ray oF LiGHT, HowEVer faint,
might Mean salvatiON.

ObEying tHe MagIStrate'S ordeRs, gOguEt, the smilinG cleRk, had just
FinishED drawinG Up at leaSt a dozEn sUmmOnseS, WhEn lecOq REtuRNeD frOM
thE PrefectUrE. M. segmuLler AT ONCe asKed Him tHe resUlt of his erranD.

"Ah, Sir," rEPliEd the Young DeteCtIve, "I hAve a frEsh prOoF of that
mysterioUs acComplice's SkiLl. the PeRmit tHAt was uSed YesTerday tO see
youNG ChUpIN WAs In the name of his mothEr'S SIsTer, a womaN named
rOsE PITard. A visItIng Card WAS giveN her MOrE than a weEk ago, iN
CoMpLiance wItH a requEsT inDorSed by THe coMmissaRy of poliCe of hER
district."

The maGIstrate's surprISe WAS sO InteNse That it imparTed tO His fAce
aN AlMosT LudicRous eXpREsSIon. "Is this aunt also in ThE plot?" hE
murmUred.

"I don't thinK so," replied lECOq, shakinG his HEaD. "at all events, it
wAsn't sHe who went tO The prisoN parlOr yesterDay. The cleRKS at the
PrEfeCtuRe rEmeMBEr The widow's sistER Very WeLl, and gaVe mE a full
dEscRipTioN of HeR. She's a womAn over fiVe FeEt HiGh, wIth a vERy dark
coMpLexIoN; anD very WRinkleD and wEathErBeATen About thE FaCE. she's
QuItE sixTy yEaRs old; WherEAs, yEsterdaY's visitor Was SHort AnD fAir,
and nOt more than forTy-Five."

"If that'S tHe cAse," intERRupted M. SEgmuller, "this visitor must BE
one of oUr fUgitiVes."

"I Don't think So."

"WHo do yoU suPPose shE was, thEn?"

"Why, ThE laNDLady oF THe hotEl De MariemboURG--thAt cleVeR womAn who
suCceeded so well in decEIviNg me. But she had BetTer tAKE cAre! tHeRE
arE mEAns
 possible delay, some of t he peopleresid ing  in  t he v icin ity of
the Poi v rier e; together with someof Po ly t e'sh ab itual  compan i on s ,  an dth e l an d lo rd of  th e Rainb ow, wherethe  v ictims and t h emurderer h adapparently p ass ed the  e ven i ng of  th e cri me. Of course , there w as no
rea s on to e x p ec t an y great revelatio n sf rom any of the se wit ne s se s , 
st ill  they migh tknows omethin g ,t h e y m i ght have an o pinion to e x pre ss,
an dint he pre sentda r kne ss one sing le r ay of lig ht, ho w ever fa i nt,
mig ht mea n s alv atio n .
O bey in g  th e  m agi s tra te's ord er s,  Gogu et,t h e smil ing  cle rk, h ad just
finis hed  dra w ing  up a t lea st a  d ozensummon ses,wh en Lecoq return ed f rom
the P ref ec tur e.  M. S e gmulle r a t o nce ask ed himt here s u l tof his errand.

"A h, s ir ," repli ed the yo un g  detecti ve , " I ha v e  a fr eshp ro of of th at
mys t er io us acco mp lice's  s kil l.The p e rmit  thatwas used  yest e rday to see
yo u ng Chupin was in t he name  of  his mother 's s i ster , aw om ann amedRosePi t ar d . A visiting card w as  given  hermore than a w eek ago, i n c omplianc e wi t ha  request indor sed b y the comm i ssary of  poli ce of he r
distric t . "

The m agi str ate 'ss u rp rise was so i n t ense  t hat itimp arted t o h isfac e
a nalmost lu dicrousex pr es si on.  "Ist his aunt  a lso  i n t he pl o t?" he 
murm ured .
" I  do n't thi n ks o ," r ep li ed L eco q,  shak ingh ishead. " At all ev ent s , it 
w as n't she  who went toth e prison p ar lor  yeste r d ay. Theclerks at the
Prefectur e  rememb erthe w idow 's sister  ve ry wel l,a nd gav e me a  full 
d esc r i ption o fher .She's a wo m a n o ver f iv e fe et high , with a very dark com plexion; andver y wr i n kl eda nd wea th e rbe a t en about the fa ce. She'squ i te  sixty yea r s o ld ; where as, yes terda y 's visi tor was s hort andfa ir,a n d n ot more th an forty -five."
" If th a t' s the  ca se," i nt err upted  M. Se g mul ler,"thisvi sitormustbe 
one ofour fugitives."

"I don 't thi nk so ."
"Who doyou sup pose shewas,  then?"

" Why , t he la ndl a dy of  the Ho tel de Ma riem b ourg--tha t  c lev e r  w oman who
su c c e ede d sowel l  in de ceiv ing me. But she h a d better takecare ! The rea re m ea ns
 possible_delay, some_of the people residing_in the_vicinity_of
the Poivriere;_together_with some of_Polyte's habitual companions,_and
the landlord of the_Rainbow, where the_victims_and the murderer had
apparently passed the evening of the crime. Of course, there was_no
reason_to expect_any_great_revelations from any of these_witnesses,
still they might know something,_they might_have an opinion to express,
and in the present_darkness_one single ray_of light, however faint,
might mean salvation.

Obeying the magistrate's orders,_Goguet, the smiling clerk, had just
finished_drawing up at_least_a_dozen summonses, when Lecoq_returned from
the Prefecture. M. Segmuller at_once asked him the result of_his errand.

"Ah, sir," replied the young detective,_"I have a fresh proof of_that
mysterious accomplice's skill. The permit_that was_used yesterday to see
young Chupin_was in the_name of_his mother's sister,_a woman named
Rose Pitard. A visiting_card was given_her more than a week ago,_in
compliance_with a request_indorsed_by_the commissary_of police of_her
district."

The_magistrate's surprise_was_so intense that it imparted to_his_face
an almost ludicrous expression. "Is this aunt_also in the plot?"_he
murmured.

"I_don't think so," replied_Lecoq, shaking his head. "At_all events, it
wasn't she who went_to the_prison parlor_yesterday. The clerks at the
Prefecture remember the widow's sister very well,_and gave me a full
description of_her. She's a woman_over five_feet_high, with a_very_dark
complexion; and_very wrinkled and weatherbeaten about the face._She's
quite sixty_years old; whereas, yesterday's visitor was_short and fair,
and not_more_than forty-five."

"If that's the case," interrupted_M. Segmuller, "this visitor must be
one_of our fugitives."

"I don't think_so."

"Who_do_you suppose she was, then?"

"Why,_the landlady of the Hotel de_Mariembourg--that clever woman_who
succeeded so well in deceiving me. But_she_had better take care! There
are means