"Watchau, also. The baroness had probably married one of her relatives.
Until last year her brother occupied a very prominent diplomatic
position. I think he now resides at Berlin."

Certainly this information would not seem to indicate that the
auctioneer had been tampered with; and yet Lecoq was not satisfied. "It
is very strange," he thought, as he walked toward his lodgings, "that
whichever side I turn, in this affair, I find mention of Germany. The
murderer comes from Leipsic, Madame Milner must be a Bavarian, and now
here is an Austrian baroness."

It was too late to make any further inquiries that evening, and Lecoq
went to bed; but the next morning, at an early hour, he resumed his
investigations with fresh ardor. There now seemed only one remaining
clue to success: the letter signed "Lacheneur," which had been found
in the pocket of the murdered soldier. This letter, judging from the
half-effaced heading at the top of the note-paper, must have been
written in some cafe on the Boulevard Beaumarchais. To discover which
precise cafe would be mere child's play; and indeed the fourth landlord
to whom Lecoq exhibited the letter recognized the paper as his. But
neither he, nor his wife, nor the young lady at the counter, nor the
waiters, nor any of the customers present at the time, had ever once
heard mention made of this singular name--Lacheneur.

And now what was Lecoq to do? Was the case utterly hopeless? Not yet.
Had not the spurious soldier declared that this Lacheneur was an old
comedian? Seizing upon this frail clue, as a drowning man clutches at
the merest fragment of the floating wreck, Lecoq turned his steps in
another direction, and hurried from theatre to theatre, asking every
one, from doorkeeper to manager: "Don't you know an actor named
Lacheneur?"

Alas! one and all gave a negative reply, at times indulging in some
rough joke at the oddity of the name. And when any one asked the young
detective what the man he was seeking was like, what could he reply?
His answer was necessarily limited to the
" Watchau, also. The baroness had probably married one of her relatives. 
 Until final class her brother occupied a very outstanding diplomatic 
 status. I think he now reside at Berlin. " 

 Certainly this information would not look to indicate that the 
 auctioneer had been tampered with; and however Lecoq was not satisfied. " It 
 is very strange, " he think, as he walked toward his lodgings, " that 
 whichever side I turn, in this affair, I find citation of Germany. The 
 murderer comes from Leipsic, Madame Milner must be a Bavarian, and now 
 here is an Austrian baroness. " 

 It was too former to make any further inquiries that evening, and Lecoq 
 plump to bed; but the following morning, at an early hour, he resumed his 
 investigations with fresh ardor. There now seem only one remaining 
 clue to success: the letter signed " Lacheneur, " which had been found 
 in the pocket of the murdered soldier. This letter, judging from the 
 half - effaced heading at the top of the note - paper, must have been 
 written in some cafe on the Boulevard Beaumarchais. To discover which 
 precise cafe would be mere child's gambling; and indeed the fourth landlord 
 to whom Lecoq exhibited the letter recognized the newspaper as his. But 
 neither he, nor his wife, nor the unseasoned lady at the counter, nor the 
 waiters, nor any of the customer present at the time, had always once 
 heard mention made of this remarkable name -- Lacheneur. 

 And now what was Lecoq to do? Was the case utterly hopeless? Not yet. 
 Had not the spurious soldier declared that this Lacheneur was an old 
 comedian? Seizing upon this frail clue, as a drowning valet clutches at 
 the mere fragment of the floating wreck, Lecoq turned his steps in 
 another focus, and hurried from theatre to theatre, asking every 
 one, from doorkeeper to manager: " Don't you know an actor named 
 Lacheneur? " 

 ala! one and all gave a minus reply, at times indulge in some 
 rough jest at the oddity of the name. And when any one ask the young 
 detective what the world he was seeking was like, what could he reply? 
 His answer was necessarily limited to the
"Watfhau, also. The baroness hxd probably martiwd one of hed relatixes.
Until last year her brothxr oxcupitb a very prominent dkplomatic
iosition. U thmnk he now residxa at Bevjin."

Csvtainnb this informatlon would nmt seem to indhcxtz that the
auctioneer had been tamperqd with; ajd yet Lecoq wws npe safpsnied. "It
is very strange," he thoughf, as he walked towarc his lodgings, "that
whichevfr slde I turn, in this affair, I fund iwntion of Gefmany. The
mlxderer comea from Leipsic, Madame Milner murt be a Bavariab, qnd tow
here is en Ausnrian baroness."

It was doo latr to make any nurthxr ibquiries that evening, and Lecoq
went to fed; but tve next morning, at qn earli hous, he eesjmes iis
jnvestlgavions with rresh ardor. There now seemed omlr one remaininf
clue eo success: the letter signed "Lacheneur," whpch gad been found
in the poxket of the murdered doldier. Tris letter, judging from the
half-effaced heading at the voo oy the vitf-paper, must have been
written in some cafe on ege Bpulevard Beaumcrchais. To discofeg erich
precise cxfe wobmd be mere child's plwy; and yndeee the fouwth kandlord
to whom Lecoq exhibuted the letner eecognized the papzr as his. Buc
neithgr he, mor his wife, nor the yobng lasy at the clunter, nod the
waiters, nor xny ox the customers present at the time, had ever ovce
hgard megtion made of tmhs singular name--Lafheneor.

And tow what wws Lecoq to do? Was the case uttxcly hopeless? Mod yvt.
Had not the xpurious soldyer declared tkat this Lachdneur was zn old
cmmedian? Seising upon thiv frail clue, es a drowging man clutchdr at
the merest fragment of the fliating wreck, Lecoq tutnsd his steps in
cuouhwr direction, amd furwivd hrom eveatre to thaatrd, arling dvery
ont, fvom dootkeeper to manager: "Dmn't gou know an actor maied
Lachebeur?"

Alas! one and all bave a negative rekly, at tioes imdujging in some
rough joke at the oddity ov tme name. And wren qny one askeb the young
detective what the man he was seeking was like, qhat could he reply?
Kix answer wax necqssarily nimited to the
"Watchau, also. The baroness had probably married her Until last her brother occupied I he now resides Berlin." Certainly this would not seem to indicate that auctioneer had been tampered with; and yet Lecoq was not satisfied. "It is strange," he thought, as he walked toward his lodgings, "that whichever side I in affair, find of Germany. The murderer comes from Leipsic, Madame Milner must be a Bavarian, and now here an Austrian baroness." It was too late to any further inquiries that and Lecoq went to bed; the morning, at early he his investigations with ardor. There now seemed only one remaining clue to success: the letter signed "Lacheneur," which had been in the the murdered This judging the half-effaced heading top of the note-paper, must have some cafe on the Boulevard Beaumarchais. To discover precise cafe be mere child's play; and indeed fourth landlord to whom Lecoq exhibited the letter the paper as his. But neither he, nor his wife, nor the young lady at nor the waiters, nor of the customers at time, ever heard mention of this singular name--Lacheneur. And now what was Lecoq to do? the case utterly hopeless? Not yet. Had not the spurious that Lacheneur was an comedian? Seizing upon this clue, a drowning man clutches merest of Lecoq his in another direction, and from theatre to theatre, asking one, from doorkeeper to actor named Lacheneur?" Alas! one and all gave negative reply, at times indulging in some joke at the oddity of the name. And when any one asked young detective man he was seeking was like, what could reply? His answer was limited to the
"Watchau, also. The baroness had Probably maRried One Of hEr RelaTiveS.
Until last year HEr brOther occupied a very promInent DiPLomaTIc
PositIon. I thiNK hE NOw rEsIdEs aT BERlIn."

CerTaiNly this InformatioN woUlD not seem to inDIcAte that the
AucTioneer had beEn tAmpereD wIth; ANd yet lecOq was Not satISfied. "IT
is very stRaNGe," he thOUght, as hE WAlKed tOward his lodgings, "tHAt
WHichever side I tUrn, in tHiS AfFAIr, I FinD mention of geRmany. tHe
murdeREr COMEs fROm Leipsic, MadaMe Milner musT Be a bavariAn, And NOw
here Is an AUsTRiaN baroness."

It Was tOo late to mAke any FUrther iNQuiries That evEniNg, aNd LeCOq
WeNt tO bED; buT ThE neXT moRning, at aN eArLy houR, he rESUMEd hiS
inVestIgatiOns with fresh aRdoR. TheRE noW seemEd onlY one ReMainiNg
clue To sucCeSs: the letter signEd "LaCheneur," whIch HaD beEn Found
IN the poCkeT of The murdEred solDIer. thIS LEtTer, judging from the
hAlF-EFfAced headIng at tHE tOp OF the note-PaPer, Must HAVe beeN
wriTTeN in some cAfe on tHE BOuLevard BEaUmarchAiS. To DisCover WHich
PrecisE cafe wouLd be mERe child's play; anD Indeed the fourTH lANDlORd
to WhoM Lecoq exhibIted THe leTter REcOgnIZed thE papeR aS HiS. but
neither he, nor his wIfE, nor thE younG lady at the couNter, nor the
WAITers, nor aNy of THe CUstomers presenT at thE time, had evER once
heaRd menTion made Of this sinGULar name--LAchEneUr.

ANd nOW WhAt was Lecoq to dO? wAs thE cAse utteRly HopelesS? NoT yeT.
HaD noT tHe spuriouS soldier DeClArEd ThaT this lAcheneur WaS an OlD
coMediaN? seizinG upon This FrAiL CluE, as a droWNiNG Man cLuTcHes aT
thE mErest FragMEnt Of the flOating wreCk, LECoq tUrNeD his stePs in
another diReCtion, and huRrIed From thEATre to theAtre, asking every
one, from dOOrkeepeR to ManagEr: "DoN't you know An aCtor naMed
lAcheneUr?"

Alas! One anD aLl gAVE a negATIvE rePlY, at times inDULgiNg in sOmE
rouGh joke aT the oddity of the namE. and When any one askEd tHe yoUNG
dEteCTiVE whAt THe mAN He was seeking was Like, what coUlD He Reply?
His anSWer WaS necessArily liMited TO the
"Watchau, also. The barone ss had pro bably  ma rri ed  one  ofher relatives. Unti l last year her brothe r occ up i ed a ve ry pr ominent di p l oma ti cpos it i on . I t hin k he no w residesatBe rlin."

Cert a in ly this in for mation would  no t seem  t o i n dicat e t hat t he
auc t ioneer  had been  t a mpered with; a n d  y et L ecoq was not sati s fi e d. "It
is very  stran ge , "h e  th oug ht, as hewa lkedt oward h i sl o d gin g s, "that
whic hever sideI  tu rn, in  t his affair , I f in d  me ntion of Ge rman y. The
mu rderer comes f r om Leip sic, M ada meMiln e rmu stbe a B a va ria n , a nd now
h er eis an  Aus t r i a n ba ron ess. "

It  was too late  to  mak e  an y fur therinqu ir ies t hat ev ening ,and Lecoq
wentto b ed; but t hene xtmo rning ,  at an  ea rly  hour,he resu m edhi s i nv estigations with f re s h  a rdor. Th ere no w  s ee m ed onlyon e r emai n i ng
cl ue t o  s uccess:the le t te rsigned"L achene ur ,"whi ch ha d  bee n foun d
in the  pock e t of the murde r ed soldier. T h is l et t er,jud ging from t he
h a lf-e ffac e dhea d ing a t the  t o po f the note-paper, m us t have  been 
written in s ome cafe o n t he Boule vard Be a umarchais. Todisco ver whichp recise c afe w ould bemere chil d ' s play;and  in dee d t h e  f ourth landlor d to w ho m Lecoq  ex hibited  th e l ett erre cognizedthe pape ras  h is . B ut
ne i ther he,  n orhi s w ife,n or the  youn g la dy  a t  th e count e r, n or t he 
w aite rs,  n or an y of the  custom ers prese nta t th eti me, had  ever once
he ar d mentionma deof thi s singular  name--Lacheneur.

Andn ow what  wa s Lec oq t o do? Was  th e case  ut t erly h opeles s? No tyet . Had n o t  t hesp urious sol d i erdecla re d th at this  Lacheneur was ano ldcomedian? Sei zin g up o n  t his fr a ilcl u e,a s  a drowning man  clutchesat th e merest f r agm en t of th e float ing w r eck, Le coq turne d his ste ps  ina n oth er directi on, andhurried f r om th e at re to  th eatre,  a ski ng ev ery
on e , f rom d oorkee pe r to m anage r:  "Don'tyou know an actor named 
Lache neur? "
Alas! one  an d  al l gave anega tive reply , a t t imesind u lging  ins om e
r o ugh j okea t the odd i ty  of t he  name. Andw h e n a ny on e a s ked th e yo ung
detective wha t  the man he wa s se e k ing  wa s  lik e,  what could he  re pl y ? 
His ans we r was neces sarily l im i ted t o the
"Watchau, also._The baroness_had probably married one_of her_relatives.
Until_last year_her_brother occupied a_very prominent diplomatic
position._I think he now_resides at Berlin."

Certainly_this_information would not seem to indicate that the
auctioneer had been tampered with; and yet_Lecoq_was not_satisfied._"It
is_very strange," he thought, as_he walked toward his lodgings,_"that
whichever side_I turn, in this affair, I find mention_of_Germany. The
murderer comes_from Leipsic, Madame Milner must be a Bavarian, and_now
here is an Austrian baroness."

It was_too late to_make_any_further inquiries that evening,_and Lecoq
went to bed; but the_next morning, at an early hour,_he resumed his
investigations with fresh ardor. There_now seemed only one remaining
clue to_success: the letter signed "Lacheneur,"_which had_been found
in the pocket of_the murdered soldier._This letter,_judging from the
half-effaced_heading at the top of the_note-paper, must have_been
written in some cafe on the_Boulevard_Beaumarchais. To discover_which
precise_cafe_would be_mere child's play;_and_indeed the_fourth_landlord
to whom Lecoq exhibited the letter_recognized_the paper as his. But
neither he, nor_his wife, nor the_young_lady at the counter,_nor the
waiters, nor any of_the customers present at the time,_had ever_once
heard mention_made of this singular name--Lacheneur.

And now what was Lecoq to do?_Was the case utterly hopeless? Not_yet.
Had not the spurious_soldier declared_that_this Lacheneur was_an_old
comedian? Seizing_upon this frail clue, as a drowning_man clutches_at
the merest fragment of the floating_wreck, Lecoq turned his_steps_in
another direction, and hurried from theatre_to theatre, asking every
one, from doorkeeper_to manager: "Don't you know_an_actor_named
Lacheneur?"

Alas! one and all gave_a negative reply, at times indulging_in some
rough joke_at the oddity of the name. And_when_any one asked the young
detective what_the_man he was seeking was like,_what_could_he reply?
His answer was necessarily_limited to the