al
legends which tell us that the devil runs away with his elect from
time to time, when I received a summons from M. the Commissary of
Police to present myself at his bureau.

He was pleasant and urbane as usual, but to my anxious query after
Theodore he only gave me the old reply: "No trace of him can be
found."

Then he added: "We must therefore take it for granted, my good M.
Ratichon, that your man of all work is--of his own free will--keeping
out of the way. The murder theory is untenable; we have had to abandon
it. The total disappearance of the body is an unanswerable argument
against it. Would you care to offer a reward for information leading
to the recovery of your missing friend?"

I hesitated. I certainly was not prepared to pay anyone for finding
Theodore.

"Think it over, my good M. Ratichon," rejoined M. le Commissaire
pleasantly. "But in the meanwhile I must tell you that we have decided
to set Aristide Nicolet free. There is not a particle of evidence
against him either in the matter of the dog or of that of your friend.
Mme. de Nole's servants cannot swear to his identity, whilst you have
sworn that you last saw the dog in your man's arms. That being so, I
feel that we have no right to detain an innocent man."

Well, Sir, what could I say? I knew well enough that there was not a
tittle of solid evidence against the man Nicolet, nor had I the power
to move the police of His Majesty the King from their decision. In my
heart of hearts I had the firm conviction that the ginger-polled
ruffian knew all about Carissimo and all about the present whereabouts
of that rascal Theodore. But what could I say, Sir? What could I do?

I went home that night to my lodgings at Passy more perplexed than
ever I had been in my life before.

The next morning I arrived at my office soon after nine. The problem
had presented itself to me during the night of finding a new man of
all work who would serve me on the same terms as that ungrateful
wretch Theodore.

I mounted the stairs with a heavy step and opened the outer door of my
apartment with my private key; and then, Sir, I assure you that for
one brief moment I felt that my knees were giving way under me and
that I should presently measure my full length on the floor.

There, sitting at the table in my private room, was Theodore. He had
donned one of the many suits of clothes which I always kept at the
office for purposes of my business, and he was calmly consu