true, sir," approved the commissary.

"Yes," said Gevrol, "and the sailors must have come ashore. I shall find
out all about it at the wine shop. But what sort of a man was Gervais,
the master, my little friend?"

"Like all the sailors hereabouts, sir."

The child was preparing to depart when M. Daburon recalled him.

"Before you go, my boy, tell me, have you spoken to any one of this
meeting before to-day?"

"Yes, sir, I told all to mamma when I got back from church, and gave her
the ten sous."

"And you have told us the whole truth?" continued the magistrate. "You
know that it is a very grave matter to attempt to impose on justice. She
always finds it out, and it is my duty to warn you that she inflicts the
most terrible punishment upon liars."

The little fellow blushed as red as a cherry, and held down his head.

"I see," pursued M. Daburon, "that you have concealed something from us.
Don't you know that the police know everything?"

"Pardon! sir," cried the boy, bursting into tears,--"pardon. Don't
punish me, and I will never do so again."

"Tell us, then, how you have deceived us?"

"Well, sir, it was not ten sous that the man gave me, it was twenty
sous. I only gave half to mamma; and I kept the rest to buy marbles
with."

"My little friend," said the investigating magistrate, "for this time I
forgive you. But let it be a lesson for the remainder of your life. You
may go now, and remember it is useless to try and hide the truth; it
always comes to light!"

CHAPTER II.

The two last depositions awakened in M. Daburon's mind some slight
gleams of hope. In the midst of darkness, the humblest rush-light
acquires brilliancy.

"I will go at once to Bougival, sir, if you approve of this step,"
suggested Gevrol.

"Perhaps you would do well to wait a little," answered M. Daburon. "This
man was seen on Sunday morning; we will inquire into Widow Lerouge's
movements on that day."

Three neighbours were called. They all declared that the widow had
kept her bed all Sunday. To one woman who, hearing she was unwell,
had visited her, she said, "Ah! I had last night a terrible accident."
Nobody at the time attached any significance to these words.

"The man with the rings in his ears becomes more and important," said
the magistrate, when the woman had retired. "To find him again is
indispensable: you must see to this, M. Gevrol."

"Before eight days, I shall have him," replied the chief of detective