n Daubrecq, he
seemed to be taking his adversary's size, gauging his weight, estimating
his physical strength, discussing, in fine, in which exact part to
attack him. Daubrecq clenched his fists and worked out his plan of
defence to meet the attack when it came.

Half a minute passed. Lupin put his hand to his hip-pocket. Daubrecq did
the same and grasped the handle of his revolver.

A few seconds more. Coolly, Lupin produced a little gold box of the kind
that ladies use for holding sweets, opened it and handed it to Daubrecq:

"A lozenge?"

"What's that?" asked the other, in surprise.

"Cough-drops."

"What for?"

"For the draught you're going to feel!"

And, taking advantage of the momentary fluster into which Daubrecq was
thrown by his sally, he quickly took his hat and slipped away.

"Of course," he said, as he crossed the hall, "I am knocked into fits.
But all the same, that bit of commercial-traveller's waggery was rather
novel, in the circumstances. To expect a pill and receive a cough-drop
is by way of being a sort of disappointment. It left the old chimpanzee
quite flummoxed."

As he closed the gate, a motor-car drove up and a man sprang out
briskly, followed by several others.

Lupin recognized Prasville:

"Monsieur le secretaire-general," he muttered, "your humble servant. I
have an idea that, some day, fate will bring us face to face: and I
am sorry, for your sake; for you do not inspire me with any particular
esteem and you have a bad time before you, on that day. Meanwhile, if
I were not in such a hurry, I should wait till you leave and I should
follow Daubrecq to find out in whose charge he has placed the child whom
he is going to hand back to me. But I am in a hurry. Besides, I can't
tell that Daubrecq won't act by telephone. So let us not waste ourselves
in vain efforts, but rather join Victoire, Achille and our precious
bag."

Two hours later, Lupin, after taking all his measures, was on the
lookout in his shed at Neuilly and saw Daubrecq turn out of an adjoining
street and walk along with a distrustful air.

Lupin himself opened the double doors:

"Your things are in here, monsieur le depute," he said. "You can go
round and look. There is a job-master's yard next door: you have only to
ask for a van and a few men. Where is the child?"

Daubrecq first inspected the articles and then took Lupin to the Avenue
de Neuilly, where two closely veiled old ladies stood waiting with
little