n me; and now I must be off, for I have breakfast to
get ready, but I'll call again to-morrow;" and with a curtsy she left
the room.

Mascarin struck his hand heavily on the table.

"Hortebise has a wonderful nose for sniffing out danger," said he. "This
Rose and the young fool who is ruining himself for her must both be
suppressed."

Beaumarchef again made a motion of executing a thrust with the rapier.

"Pooh, pooh!" answered his master; "don't be childish. I can do better
than that. Rose calls herself nineteen, but she is more, she is of age,
while Gandelu is still a minor. If old Gandelu had any pluck, he would
put Article 354 in motion."

"Eh, sir?" said Beaumarchef, much mystified.

"Look here. Before twenty-four hours have elapsed I must know everything
as to the habits and disposition of Gandelu senior. I want to know on
what terms he is with his son."

"Good. I will set La Candele to work."

"And as the young fellow will doubtless need money, contrive to let him
know of our friend Verminet, the chairman of the Mutual Loan Society."

"But that is M. Tantaine's business."

Mascarin paid no heed to this, so occupied was he by his own thoughts.

"This young artist seems to have more brains than the rest of the set,
but woe to him if he crosses my path. Go back to the outer office,
Beaumarchef, I hear some clients coming in."

The man, however, did not obey.

"Pardon me, sir," said he, "but La Candele, who is outside, will see
them. I have my report to make."

"Very good. Sit down and go on."

Enchanted at this mark of condescension, Beaumarchef went on. "Yesterday
there was nothing of importance, but this morning Toto Chupin came."

"He had not lost Caroline Schimmel, I trust?"

"No, sir; he had even got into conversation with her."

"That is good. He is a cunning little devil; a pity that he is not a
trifle more honest."

"He is sure," continued Beaumarchef, "that the woman drinks, for she is
always talking of persons following her about who menace her, and she is
so afraid of being murdered that she never ventures out alone. She lives
with a respectable workingman and his wife, and pays well for her board,
for she seems to have plenty of money."

"That is a nuisance," remarked Mascarin, evidently much annoyed. "Where
does she live?"

"At Montmartre, beyond the Chateau Rouge."

"Good. Tantaine will inquire and see if Toto has made no mistake, and
does not let the woman slip through his