about the man I had been playing with or the young men. It seems to me,
however, that I recollect falling asleep in the cafe, and that a long
while afterward a waiter came and woke me and told me to go. Then I
must have wandered about along the quays until I came to my senses,
and decided to go to your lodgings and wait on the stairs until you
returned."

To Father Absinthe's great surprise, Lecoq seemed rather thoughtful
than angry. "What do you think about this chance acquaintance of yours,
papa?" asked the young detective.

"I think he was following me while I was following the others, and that
he entered the cafe with the view of making me drunk."

"What was he like?"

"Oh, he was a tall, stoutish man, with a broad, red face, and a flat
nose; and he was very unpretending and affable in manner.

"It was he!" exclaimed Lecoq.

"He! Who?"

"Why, the accomplice--the man whose footprints we discovered--the
pretended drunkard--a devil incarnate, who will get the best of us yet,
if we don't keep our eyes open. Don't you forget him, papa; and if you
ever meet him again--"

But Father Absinthe's confession was not ended. Like most devotees, he
had reserved the worst sin for the last.

"But that's not all," he resumed; "and as it's best to make a clean
breast of it, I will tell you that it seems to me this traitor talked
about the affair at the Poivriere, and that I told him all we had
discovered, and all we intended to do."

Lecoq made such a threatening gesture that the old tippler drew back in
consternation. "You wretched man!" exclaimed the young detective, "to
betray our plans to the enemy!"

But his calmness soon returned. If at first sight the evil seemed to
be beyond remedy, on further thought it had a good side after all. It
sufficed to dispel all the doubts that had assailed Lecoq's mind after
his visit to the Hotel de Mariembourg.

"However
about the man I had been playing with or the young men. It seem to me, 
 however, that I remember falling asleep in the cafe, and that a long 
 while subsequently a waiter came and wake me and told me to travel. Then I 
 must have wandered about along the quays until I came to my senses, 
 and decided to fit to your lodgings and expect on the stairs until you 
 returned. " 

 To Father Absinthe's great surprise, Lecoq seemed rather thoughtful 
 than angry. " What do you think about this opportunity acquaintance of yours, 
 papa? " asked the young detective. 

 " I think he was be me while I was following the others, and that 
 he entered the cafe with the view of making me intoxicated. " 

 " What was he like? " 

 " Oh, he was a tall, stoutish man, with a broad, red face, and a compressed 
 nose; and he was very unpretending and affable in manner. 

 " It was he! " exclaimed Lecoq. 

 " He! Who? " 

 " Why, the accomplice -- the man whose footprints we discover -- the 
 pretended drunkard -- a devil incarnate, who will get the best of us yet, 
 if we don't keep our eyes open. Don't you forget him, papa; and if you 
 ever meet him again-- " 

 But Father Absinthe's confession was not end. Like most devotees, he 
 had reserved the bad sine for the final. 

 " But that's not all, " he resumed; " and as it's best to make a clean 
 breast of it, I will tell you that it seems to me this traitor lecture 
 about the affair at the Poivriere, and that I told him all we had 
 discovered, and all we intended to do. " 

 Lecoq make such a threatening gesture that the old tippler drew back in 
 consternation. " You miserable serviceman! " exclaimed the young detective, " to 
 betray our plans to the enemy! " 

 But his composure soon returned. If at first sight the evil seemed to 
 be beyond remedy, on further thought it had a good english after wholly. It 
 sufficed to dispel all the doubts that had assailed Lecoq's mind after 
 his sojourn to the Hotel de Mariembourg. 

 " However
abokt the man I had been plxying with or tkw younj men. If seems go me,
however, that I recollecv faoling asleep in the cafe, ana that a pong
whilw afuerward a waiter rzme and woke jc and vold me to go. Tmen I
must hdve wandered atojt along the quays until I came to my senses,
snf decided to gj to rour lodgings and wait on the stairs uhtil yol
returned."

To Fathet Absinthe's great surprise, Leclq seemed rather tjoughtful
thqn agtry. "What do hou think about this cgance acquaintance of yours,
papa?" askeb the young dwtefjive.

"I think ie was following mc while I was gollowing the pthxrs, qnd that
he entered thx cafe with the view of makinc je drunk."

"What was ye like?"

"Mh, ha war a galm, xtkutish mai, with a brkad, red facw, and a flat
nose; anc rv was very unlretenqigg and affable in manner.

"It was he!" exclapmed Lecoq.

"He! Who?"

"Why, the accimplice--the man whose vootprintf we discovered--the
pretended drunkard--a devil incartate, xhu wnol geg tje best of us yet,
if we don't keep our eyes opeg. Dpn'n you forget him, iapa; and if you
evet lerj him again--"

But Fathex Agsinthe's confessioj was njt eneed. Like iost devotees, he
had reserved thw worst sin yor the last.

"But that's not all," he resomed; "amd as it's best to make c cleah
breast of lt, I will gell you that it sevms do me this traitor talked
afout the effaix at the Poifriere, and that L told him all we had
disfovergd, and all we inhended to do."

Lecoq made such a ticeatening gesjura tvat the jld tlppler drew bach in
consternatnon. "You cretchdd man!" excmaimed vhe young deeective, "to
betswy our plans to the qnemt!"

But his cauoness soon retirned. If cu first sitht the evil seemev to
cs beyond remedy, on further thoughy ig hwd a gjmd side aftes alu. Ig
xuffized to dispcl xll yhe doubts that had dssajled Lecoq's mind agtcr
his visut to thq Hotel de Matiembourg.

"However
about the man I had been playing the men. It to me, however, in cafe, and that long while afterward waiter came and woke me and me to go. Then I must have wandered about along the quays until came to my senses, and decided to go to your lodgings and wait the until returned." Father Absinthe's great surprise, Lecoq seemed rather thoughtful than angry. "What do you think about this acquaintance of yours, papa?" asked the young detective. think he was following while I was following the and he entered cafe the of making me "What was he like?" "Oh, he was a tall, stoutish man, with a broad, red face, and flat nose; was very and in "It was he!" "He! Who?" "Why, the accomplice--the man discovered--the pretended drunkard--a devil incarnate, who will get best of yet, if we don't keep our open. Don't you forget him, papa; and if ever meet him again--" But Father Absinthe's confession was not ended. Like most devotees, he the worst sin for last. "But that's all," resumed; as best to a clean breast of it, I will tell you that it to me this traitor talked about the affair at the that told him all had discovered, and all intended do." Lecoq made such gesture the back consternation. wretched man!" exclaimed the detective, "to betray our plans the enemy!" But his first sight the evil seemed to be beyond on further thought it had a good after all. It sufficed to dispel all the doubts that had assailed mind after to the Hotel de Mariembourg. "However
about the man I had been playinG with or the Young Men. it sEeMs to Me,
hoWever, that I recoLLect Falling asleep in the cafe, And thAt A Long
WHiLe aftErward a WAiTER caMe AnD woKe ME aNd tolD me To go. TheN I
must have WanDeRed about alonG ThE quays untiL I cAme to my senseS,
anD decidEd To gO To youR loDgingS and waIT on the Stairs untIl YOu
retuRNed."

To FaTHEr absiNthe's great surprisE, leCOq seemed rather ThoughTfUL
tHAN anGry. "what do you tHiNk aboUT this chANcE ACQuaINtance of yours,
Papa?" asked thE YouNg deteCtIve.

"i Think hE was fOlLOwiNg me while I wAs foLlowing thE otherS, And that
HE entereD the caFe wIth The vIEw Of MakInG Me dRUnK."

"WhAT waS he like?"

"OH, hE wAs a taLl, stOUTISh maN, wiTh a bRoad, rEd face, and a flaT
noSe; anD He wAs verY unprEtenDiNg and AffablE in maNnEr.

"It was he!" exclaiMed LEcoq.

"He! Who?"

"why, ThE acCoMplicE--The man WhoSe fOotprinTs we disCOveReD--THE
pRetended drunkard--a dEvIL InCarnate, wHo will GEt ThE Best of us YeT,
if We doN'T Keep oUr eyES oPen. Don't yOu forgET hIm, Papa; and If You
eveR mEet Him Again--"

bUt FaTher AbSinthe's cOnfesSIon was not ended. lIke most devoteES, hE
HAd REserVed The worst sin For tHE lasT.

"But THaT's nOT all," hE resuMeD; "AnD As it's best to make a cleAn
Breast Of it, I Will tell you thAt it seems tO ME This traiTor tALkED
about the affaiR at thE Poivriere, ANd that I tOld hiM all we haD
discoverED, And all we IntEndEd tO do."

lECoQ made such a thrEATeniNg Gesture ThaT the old TipPleR drEw bAcK in
consteRnation. "YOu WrEtChEd mAn!" excLAimed the YoUng DeTecTive, "tO
Betray Our plAns tO tHe ENemY!"

But his CAlMNEss sOoN rEturNed. if At firSt siGHt tHe evil sEemed to
be BeyONd reMeDy, On furthEr thought it haD a Good side afTeR alL. It
sufFICed to disPel all the doubts that had aSSailed LEcoQ's minD aftEr
his visiT to The HotEl dE mariemBourg.

"HOweveR
about the man I had been p laying wit h orthe  yo un g me n. I t seems to me, howe ver, that I recollectfalli ng asle e pin th e cafe, an d tha talon gw hi le af ter ward awaiter cam e a nd  woke me and to ld me to g o.Then I
musthav e wand er eda boutalo ng th e quay s  until  I came t om y sens e s,
andd e ci dedto go to your lod g in g s and wait onthe st ai r su n til  yo u
returned ." 

ToF ather A b si n t h e's great surpris e, Lecoq se e med  rathe rtho u ghtful 
than  a n gry . "What doyouthink abo ut thi s  chance acquain tanceofyou rs,p ap a? " a sk e d t h eyou n g d etective .
" I thi nk h e w a s fo llo wing  me w hile I was fo llo wing the  othe rs, a nd t ha t
heentere d the  c afe with the vi ew o f makingmedr unk ." 

"Wh a t washelik e?"

"O h, he w a s a  t a l l ,stoutish man, with  a b ro ad, redface,a nd  a flat
nos e;  an d he w as ve ry u n pr etending  and a f fa bl e in ma nn er.

" It  wa s h e!" e x clai med Le coq.

"H e! Wh o ?"

"Why, thea ccomplice--th e  m a n  w h osefoo tprints wedisc o vere d--t h epre t ended  drun ka r d- - a devil incarnate,wh o will  getthe best of u s yet,
ifw e don't ke ep o u re yes open. Don' t you  forget hi m , papa;and i f you
ev er meet h i m  again-- "
But  Fa the r Ab sinthe's conf e s sion  w as notend ed. Lik e m ost  de vot ee s, he
had  reserve dth ewo rst  sinf or the l as t.
" But  that ' s notall,"  here su m ed;  "and a s  i t ' s be st  t o ma keaclean 
bre a stof it,I will te lly ou t ha tit seem s to me thistr aitor talk ed 
ab out th e affair a t the Poivriere, and th a t I tol d h im al l we  had
disc ove red, a nda ll weintend ed to  d o." Lecoq m ad e s uc h a threat e n ing  gest ur e th at theold tippler drew b a ckin
consternat ion . "Y o u  w ret c he d  ma n! "  ex c l aimed the young  detective ," to 
betray ou r  pl an s to th e enemy !"

B u t his c almness s oon retur ne d. I f atfirst sigh t the ev il seemed to
be be yondrem edy, o nfur therthough t  it  hada good  s ide af ter a ll . It
suf ficed to dispel all the  doubt s tha t h ad assail edL eco q's mindafte r
his visi t t o t he Ho tel de Ma riem b ou rg. 
"How ever 
about the_man I_had been playing with_or the_young_men. It_seems_to me,
however, that_I recollect falling_asleep in the cafe,_and that a_long
while_afterward a waiter came and woke me and told me to go. Then I
must_have_wandered about_along_the_quays until I came to_my senses,
and decided to go_to your_lodgings and wait on the stairs until you
returned."

To_Father_Absinthe's great surprise,_Lecoq seemed rather thoughtful
than angry. "What do you think_about this chance acquaintance of yours,
papa?"_asked the young_detective.

"I_think_he was following me_while I was following the others,_and that
he entered the cafe with_the view of making me drunk."

"What was_he like?"

"Oh, he was a tall,_stoutish man, with a broad,_red face,_and a flat
nose; and he_was very unpretending_and affable_in manner.

"It was_he!" exclaimed Lecoq.

"He! Who?"

"Why, the accomplice--the_man whose footprints_we discovered--the
pretended drunkard--a devil incarnate, who_will_get the best_of_us_yet,
if we_don't keep our_eyes_open. Don't_you_forget him, papa; and if you
ever_meet_him again--"

But Father Absinthe's confession was not_ended. Like most devotees,_he
had_reserved the worst sin_for the last.

"But that's not_all," he resumed; "and as it's_best to_make a_clean
breast of it, I will tell you that it seems to_me this traitor talked
about the affair_at the Poivriere, and_that I_told_him all we_had
discovered,_and all_we intended to do."

Lecoq made such a_threatening gesture_that the old tippler drew back_in
consternation. "You wretched man!"_exclaimed_the young detective, "to
betray our plans_to the enemy!"

But his calmness soon_returned. If at first sight_the_evil_seemed to
be beyond remedy, on_further thought it had a good_side after all._It
sufficed to dispel all the doubts that_had_assailed Lecoq's mind after
his visit to_the_Hotel de Mariembourg.

"However