n the matter before ten
o'clock, I shall be obliged to put in a complaint this evening
before the procureur.

"RECH."

"Now," said M. Lecoq, passing the letter to his companion. "Do you
comprehend?"

The old justice read it at a glance and could not repress a joyful
exclamation, which caused the waiters to turn around and stare at
him.

"Yes," said he, "this letter will catch him; it'll frighten him out
of all his other terrors. He will say to himself that he might
have slipped some counterfeit notes among those paid to the
upholsterer, that a complaint against him will provoke an inquiry,
and that he will have to prove that he is really Monsieur Wilson
or he is lost."

"So you think he'll come out?"

"I'm sure of it, unless he has become a fool."

"I tell you we shall succeed then, for this is the only serious
obstacle--"

He suddenly interrupted himself. The restaurant door opened ajar,
and a man passed his head in and withdrew it immediately.

"That's my man," said M. Lecoq, calling the waiter to pay for the
dinner, "he is waiting for us in the passage; let us go."

A young man dressed like a journeyman upholsterer was standing in
the passage looking in at the shop-windows. He had long brown
locks, and his mustache and eyebrows were coal-black. M. Plantat
certainly did not recognize him as Palot, but M. Lecoq did, and
even seemed dissatisfied with his get-up.

"Bad," growled he, "pitiable. Do you think it is enough, in order
to disguise yourself, to change the color of your beard? Look in
that glass, and tell me if the expression of your face is not just
what it was before? Aren't your eye and smile the same? Then your
cap is too much on one side, it is not natural; and your hand is
put in your pocket awkwardly."

"I'll try to do better another time, Monsieur Lecoq," Palot
modestly replied.

"I hope so; but I guess your porter won't recognize you to-night,
and that is all we want."

"And now what must I do?"

"I'll give you your orders; and be very careful not to blunder.
First, hire a carriage, with a good horse; then go to the wine-shop
for one of our men, who will accompany you to Monsieur Wilson's
house. When you get there ring, enter alone and give the porter
this letter, saying that it is of the utmost importance. This
done, put yourself with your companion in ambuscade before the house.
If Monsieur Wilson goes out--and he will go out or I am not Lecoq
--send your comrade to me at once.