sn't it?"

"Yes--a name--like Chateau--"

"Chateaubriant?--Chateau-Thierry?--"

"No-no--"

"Chateauroux?"

"Yes, that was it--Chateauroux--"

Beautrelet did not wait for her to complete her sentence. Already he
was on his feet and, without giving a thought to Froberval, without
even troubling about the child, who stood gazing at him in
stupefaction, he opened the door and ran to the station:

"Chateauroux, madame--a ticket for Chateauroux--"

"Over Mans and Tours?" asked the booking-clerk.

"Of course--the shortest way. Shall I be there for lunch?"

"Oh, no!"

"For dinner? Bedtime--?"

"Oh, no! For that, you would have to go over Paris. The Paris express
leaves at nine o'clock. You're too late--"

It was not too late. Beautrelet was just able to catch the train.

"Well," said Beautrelet, rubbing his hands, "I have spent only two
hours or so at Cherbourg, but they were well employed."

He did not for a moment think of accusing Charlotte of lying. Weak,
unstable, capable of the worst treacheries, those petty natures also
obey impulses of sincerity; and Beautrelet had read in her affrighted
eyes her shame for the harm which she had done and her delight at
repairing it in part. He had no doubt, therefore, that Chateauroux was
the other town to which Lupin had referred and where his confederates
were to telephone to him.

On his arrival in Paris, Beautrelet took every necessary precaution to
avoid being followed. He felt that it was a serious moment. He was on
the right road that was leading him to his father: one act of
imprudence might ruin all.

He went to the flat of one of his schoolfellows and came out, an hour
later, irrecognizable, rigged out as an Englishman of thirty, in a
brown check suit, with knickerbockers, woolen stockings and a cap, a
high-colored complexion and a red wig. He jumped on a bicycle laden
with a complete painter's outfit and rode off to the Gare d'Austerlitz.

He slept that night at Issoudun. The next morning, he mounted his
machine at break of day. At seven o'clock, he walked into the
Chateauroux post-office and asked to be put on to Paris. As he had to
wait, he entered into conversation with the clerk and learnt that, two
days before, at the same hour, a man dressed for motoring had also
asked for Paris.

The proof was established. He waited no longer.

By the afternoon, he had ascertained, from undeniable evidence, that a
limousine car, following the Tours road, had