for years.

The magistrate, however, was utterly discouraged. "We must abandon this
attempt," said he. "All the means of detection have been exhausted.
I give it up. The prisoner will go to the Assizes, to be acquitted or
condemned under the name of May. I will trouble myself no more about the
matter."

He said this, but the anxiety and disappointment caused by defeat,
sneering criticism, and perplexity, as to the best course to be pursued,
so affected his health that he became really ill--so ill that he had to
take to his bed.

He had been confined to his room for a week or so, when one morning
Lecoq called to inquire after him.

"You see, my good fellow," quoth M. Segmuller, despondently, "that this
mysterious murderer is fatal to us magistrates. Ah! he is too much for
us; he will preserve the secret of his identity."

"Possibly," replied Lecoq. "At all events, there is now but one way left
to discover his secret; we must allow him to escape--and then track him
to his lair."

This expedient, although at first sight a very startling one, was not of
Lecoq's own invention, nor was it by any means novel. At all times, in
cases of necessity, have the police closed their eyes and opened the
prison doors for the release of suspected criminals. And not a few,
dazzled by liberty and ignorant of being watched, have foolishly
betrayed themselves. All prisoners are not like the Marquis de
Lavalette, protected by royal connivance; and one might enumerate
many individuals who have been released, only to be rearrested after
confessing their guilt to police spies or auxiliaries who have won their
confidence.

Naturally, however, it is but seldom, and only in special cases, and as
a last resort, that such a plan is adopted. Moreover, the authorities
only consent to it when they hope to derive some important advantage,
such as the capture of a whole band of criminals. For instance,
the police perhaps arrest one of a band. Now, despite his criminal
propensities the captured culprit often has a certain sense of honor--
for years. 

 The magistrate, however, was utterly discouraged. " We must abandon this 
 attack, " say he. " All the means of detection have been run down. 
 I hold it up. The prisoner will go to the Assizes, to be acquitted or 
 condemn under the name of May. I will perturb myself no more about the 
 matter. " 

 He said this, but the anxiety and disappointment caused by defeat, 
 sneer criticism, and perplexity, as to the best course to be pursue, 
 therefore affected his health that he became really ill -- so ill that he had to 
 learn to his bed. 

 He had been confined to his room for a workweek or so, when one morning 
 Lecoq call to wonder after him. 

 " You see, my adept fellow, " quoth M. Segmuller, despondently, " that this 
 mysterious murderer is fateful to us magistrates. Ah! he is too much for 
 us; he will preserve the secret of his identity. " 

 " Possibly, " replied Lecoq. " At all events, there is now but one way left 
 to discover his secret; we must allow him to escape -- and then track him 
 to his lair. " 

 This expedient, although at first sight a very startling one, was not of 
 Lecoq's own invention, nor was it by any mean novel. At all fourth dimension, in 
 cases of necessity, have the police close their eye and opened the 
 prison doors for the release of suspected criminals. And not a few, 
 dazzled by liberty and ignorant of being determine, have foolishly 
 betrayed themselves. All prisoners are not like the Marquis de 
 Lavalette, protected by royal connivance; and one might enumerate 
 many individuals who have been turn, only to be rearrested after 
 confessing their guilt to police spies or auxiliaries who have won their 
 confidence. 

 Naturally, however, it is but rarely, and merely in special cases, and as 
 a last resort, that such a design is adopted. Moreover, the authorities 
 only consent to it when they hope to derive some important advantage, 
 such as the capture of a whole band of criminals. For example, 
 the police perhaps check one of a band. Now, despite his condemnable 
 propensities the captured culprit often induce a certain common sense of honor--
for years.

The magistrate, howtver, was utterly buscoureged. "We must abxndon this
attempt," said he. "Alp rhe mtcns of detection havd been exjausted.
I givt it up. The prisoisr will go to bhe Avwizes, to be acauitted or
wondemned undes ghz name of May. I will trouble myself go more ahout the
matter."

Re ssyd tgps, but the anxiety and disappoihtment baused by defeat,
smeering criticism, and perppexihy, as to the best fourse to bg puwwued,
so affecged his health that he became really ill--so ill that hd had to
take to hus hgd.

He had beei confpned to his room for d week pr so, when one mocnint
Lecoq called to inqumre after him.

"You see, my good xemlow," quoth M. Segmyloer, dgspongentut, "tfat tiis
jysterloua murderer is fatal ti us magistrates. Ah! hq is too much ror
us; re will preserve the secret of his identiuy."

"Posaibly," replied Lecoq. "At qll events, there is nlw but onq way left
to discover his secret; we must allow hik to xszapt--akq rhfn track him
to his lair."

This expedient, althougr au fprst sight a very startling pnf, ews not of
Lecod's own inbention, nor was it by any meanw novel. Au all times, in
cases of necessity, have the pojuce closed their eves and openzd the
krison doors for the release uf shspected crlminals. Aha not a few,
dazzldd ny niberty and ignorant of beyng watchxd, hare foolirhly
netrayqd themselges. All prisoners are noh likg the Karquis de
Pavalette, protected by royal coiiivance; and ome micht enumzrate
msny individuajs who have begn releaszd, onlh to be rezrrestev after
confefsing their ggllt to policx spies ow auziliqries wfu have won theor
confideuee.

Naturaloy, however, it is bmt seusom, and only in sptcual cases, and ss
a laft rxsort, dhat such a [lan is sdoptdd. Moreover, ghe suthorities
only consant fo it when they hole to derice some ymportant advsntage,
such as the faptuce of e wholr bwnd of criminals. For instance,
tge police pevhaps arrest jne if a band. Noc, despite his criminal
propensities the ceptured culprit often hqs a certain sense pn honor--
for years. The magistrate, however, was utterly must this attempt," he. "All the exhausted. give it up. prisoner will go the Assizes, to be acquitted or under the name of May. I will trouble myself no more about the He said this, but the anxiety and disappointment caused by defeat, sneering criticism, perplexity, to best to be pursued, so affected his health that he became really ill--so ill that he had take to his bed. He had been confined his room for a or so, when one morning called inquire after "You my fellow," quoth M. despondently, "that this mysterious murderer is fatal to us magistrates. Ah! he is too much for us; will preserve of his "Possibly," Lecoq. all events, there but one way left to discover must allow him to escape--and then track him his lair." expedient, although at first sight a startling one, was not of Lecoq's own invention, was it by any means novel. At all times, in cases of necessity, have the their eyes and opened prison doors for release suspected And a few, by liberty and ignorant of being watched, have foolishly betrayed themselves. prisoners are not like the Marquis de Lavalette, protected by and might enumerate many who have been released, to rearrested after confessing their police or won confidence. however, it is but and only in special cases, as a last resort, adopted. Moreover, the authorities only consent to it they hope to derive some important advantage, as the capture of a whole band of criminals. For instance, the perhaps arrest a band. Now, despite his criminal propensities the culprit often has a sense of honor--
for years.

The magistrate, howeVer, was utteRly diScoUraGeD. "We mUst aBandon this
atteMPt," saId he. "All the means of detecTion hAvE Been EXhAusteD.
I give iT Up. tHE prIsOnEr wIlL Go To the assIzes, to bE acquitted Or
cOnDemned under tHE nAme of May. I wIll Trouble myselF no More abOuT thE
MatteR."

He Said tHis, but THe anxiEty and disApPOintmeNT caused BY DeFeat,
Sneering criticism, ANd PErplexity, as to tHe best CoURsE TO be PurSued,
so affeCtEd his HEalth thAT hE BECamE Really ill--so ilL that he had tO
TakE to his BeD.

He HAd been ConfiNeD To hIs room for a wEek oR so, when onE morniNG
Lecoq cALled to iNquire AftEr hIm.

"YoU SeE, mY goOd FEllOW," qUotH m. SeGmuller, dEsPoNdentLy, "thAT THIs
mySteRiouS murdErer is fatal to Us mAgisTRatEs. Ah! hE is toO mucH fOr
us; hE will pReserVe The secret of his iDentIty."

"PossibLy," rEpLieD LEcoq. "AT All eveNts, TheRe is now But one wAY leFt
TO DIsCover his secret; we muSt ALLoW him to esCape--anD ThEn TRack him
tO hIs lAir."

THIS expeDienT, AlThough at First sIGhT a Very staRtLing onE, wAs nOt oF
LecoQ'S own InventIon, nor waS it by ANy means novel. At ALl times, in
caseS Of NECeSSity, HavE the police cLoseD TheiR eyeS AnD opENed thE
prisOn DOoRS for the release of susPeCted crIminaLs. And not a few,
dAzzled by liBERTy and ignOranT Of BEing watched, havE foolIshly
betraYEd themseLves. ALl prisonErs are not LIKe the MarQuiS de
lavAleTTE, pRotected by royAL ConnIvAnce; and One Might enUmeRatE
maNy iNdIviduals wHo have beEn ReLeAsEd, oNly to BE rearresTeD afTeR
coNfessINg theiR guilT to pOlIcE SpiEs or auxILiARIes wHo HaVe woN thEiR
confIdenCE.

NaTurally, However, it Is bUT selDoM, aNd only iN special cases, AnD as
a last reSoRt, tHat sucH A Plan is adOpted. Moreover, the authoriTIes
only ConSent tO it wHen they hoPe tO derivE soME imporTant adVantaGe,
SucH AS the cAPTuRe oF a Whole band oF CRimInals. foR insTance,
thE police perhaps arreST onE of a band. Now, deSpiTe hiS CRiMinAL
pROpeNsITieS THe captured culprIt often has A cERtAin sense of HOnoR--
for years.

The magistrate , however,  wasutt erl ydisc oura ged. "We musta band on this
attempt," said  he."A l l th e  m eansof dete c ti o n  ha ve  b een  e x ha usted .
I  give i t up. Thepri so ner will got othe Assize s,to be acquit ted  or
co nd emn e d und erthe n ame of May. I  will tro ub l e myse l f no mo r e  a bout  the
matter."

He sa i d this, but th e anxi et y  a n d  di sap pointmentca usedb y defea t ,s n e eri n g criticism,and perplex i ty,  as to  t heb est co urseto bepursued,
so  aff ected his  healt h  that h e  became  reall y i ll- -soi ll  t hat  h e  ha d  t o
t a keto his b ed .
He h ad b e e n conf ine d to  hisroom for a we ekor s o , w hen o ne mo rnin gLecoq  calle d toin quire after him .

" You see,mygo odfe llow, "  quoth  M.  Se gmuller , despo n den tl y , "t hat this
mysteriou sm u rd erer isfatalt ous magistra te s.Ah!h e  is t oo m u ch  for
us;  he wi l lpr eserveth e secr et  of  hi s ide n tity ."

"P ossibly, " rep l ied Lecoq. "At all events, t h er e is nowbut  one way le ft
t o  dis cove r  h iss ecret ; wemu s ta llow him to escape- -a nd the n tra ck him
to his  lair."

T h i s  expedie nt,a lt h ough at firstsight  a very st a rtling o ne, w as not o f
Lecoq's o wn inven tio n,nor  wa s it  by any means n ovel .At alltim es, incas esofnec es sity, hav e the po li ce  c lo sed  thei r  eyes an dope ne d t he
pr i son do ors f or t he  r e lea se of s u sp e c tedcr im inal s.An d not  a f e w,dazzled  by liber tya nd i gn or ant ofbeing watched ,have fooli sh lybetray e d  themsel ves. All prisoners aren ot like  th e Mar quis  de
Laval ett e, pro tec t ed byroyalconni va nce ; and o n e  m igh tenumeratem a nyindiv id uals  who ha ve been released,o nly  to be rearre ste d af t e rcon f es s ing  t h eir g uilt to policespies or a ux i li aries whoh ave  w on thei r
confi dence . 

Natur ally, how ever, itis  but s eld om, and on ly in sp ecial cas e s, an d  a s
a l ast  resor t,  th at su ch a p l anis ad opted.  M oreove r, th eauthorit ies
only consent to itwhen t hey h ope  to deriv e s o meimportant  adv antage,
su chasthe c apt u re of  a w h ol e b a nd of  cri m inals. Fo r  i nst a n ce ,
the polic e p erh aps a rre s t oneof a  band. Now, despi t e his criminal 
pro p e nsi tie s  the  c aptured culpri t o ft e n  has a c er tain senseof honor -- 
for years.

The_magistrate, however,_was utterly discouraged. "We_must abandon_this
attempt,"_said he._"All_the means of_detection have been_exhausted.
I give it up._The prisoner will_go_to the Assizes, to be acquitted or
condemned under the name of May. I will_trouble_myself no_more_about_the
matter."

He said this, but the_anxiety and disappointment caused by_defeat,
sneering criticism,_and perplexity, as to the best course to_be_pursued,
so affected his_health that he became really ill--so ill that he_had to
take to his bed.

He had_been confined to_his_room_for a week or_so, when one morning
Lecoq called to_inquire after him.

"You see, my good_fellow," quoth M. Segmuller, despondently, "that this
mysterious_murderer is fatal to us magistrates._Ah! he is too much_for
us; he_will preserve the secret of_his identity."

"Possibly," replied_Lecoq. "At_all events, there_is now but one way left
to_discover his secret;_we must allow him to escape--and_then_track him
to his_lair."

This_expedient,_although at_first sight a_very_startling one,_was_not of
Lecoq's own invention, nor was_it_by any means novel. At all times,_in
cases of necessity, have_the_police closed their eyes_and opened the
prison doors for_the release of suspected criminals. And_not a_few,
dazzled by_liberty and ignorant of being watched, have foolishly
betrayed themselves. All prisoners_are not like the Marquis de
Lavalette,_protected by royal connivance;_and one_might_enumerate
many individuals who_have_been released,_only to be rearrested after
confessing their guilt_to police_spies or auxiliaries who have won_their
confidence.

Naturally, however, it is_but_seldom, and only in special cases,_and as
a last resort, that such_a plan is adopted. Moreover,_the_authorities
only_consent to it when they_hope to derive some important advantage,
such_as the capture_of a whole band of criminals. For_instance,
the_police perhaps arrest one of a_band._Now, despite his criminal
propensities the captured_culprit_often_has a certain sense of_honor--