n. But I--I must get
the letter," and Harcout grabbed his hat and gloves and started.

"Hold on, Harcout," I called to him, "what is that you have in your
hand?"

"In my hand? Oh, just a private note I got in the same mail."

"Just look at it before you go," I suggested.

Harcout stopped in the door, examined the letter, pulled another from
the inside of the envelope, and blurted out sheepishly: "Ah, bless my
soul!--Pinkerton, this is just what I wanted. Here, quick, read them
both."

I took the letters as Harcout sat down and fanned himself with his
glove, and saw that they were dated from Rochester on the previous day.
The first one was from Lyon, in which he stated that he had received the
enclosed letter in the morning, probably shortly after Fox had strolled
out Lake View Avenue, also expressing a desire that Harcout should
submit it to me for advice as to the best course to be pursued, and have
the reply telegraphed. The enclosed letter was from Le Compte to Lyon,
insisting that he should immediately come to his rooms to receive
information of the greatest importance. I did not let Harcout know that
I had any information concerning Le Compte, but I saw that that portion
of Fox's report which stated that he had followed Le Compte to the
Arcade the previous evening, where the latter had anxiously inquired for
mail, and after that had taken a peep into Lyon's offices, agreed with
Lyon's letter as to the time when Le Compte probably expected an answer
from him.

I was at loss to know what the dapper little fellow was driving
at--whether he and Mrs. Winslow were after further blackmail, or whether
he had secured some confession from her while she was lavishing her
favors and money upon him, which the treacherous little villain was
endeavoring to make bring a good price through Lyon's superstitious
faith in the power of those who claimed supernatural powers and a
profession of Spiritualism.

I at once decided to go to Rochester and interview this new apparition
in the field in company with Lyon, and accordingly told Harcout that I
would do so, and would immediately telegraph to Lyon to that effect;
upon which he trotted away, announcing his determination to also
telegraph, so that Lyon might see that he was "attending closely to our
case," as he termed it.

As soon as he had left, I indicted a dispatch to Lyon, asking him to
make an appointment with Le Compte for an interview on the next
afternoon, when I wou