proposition, he made an angry gesture and exclaimed: "Are you mad?"

"I think not, sir."

"At all events your scheme is a most foolish one!"

"Why so, sir? You will recollect the famous murder of the Chaboiseaus.
The police soon succeeded in capturing the guilty parties; but a robbery
of a hundred and sixty thousand francs in bank-notes and coin had been
committed at the same time, and this large sum of money couldn't be
found. The murderers obstinately refused to say where they had concealed
it; for, of course, it would prove a fortune for them, if they ever
escaped the gallows. In the mean while, however, the children of the
victims were ruined. Now, M. Patrigent, the magistrate who investigated
the affair, was the first to convince the authorities that it would be
best to set one of the murderers at liberty. His advice was followed;
and three days later the culprit was surprised unearthing the money from
among a bed of mushrooms. Now, I believe that our prisoner--"

"Enough!" interrupted M. Segmuller. "I wish to hear no more on the
matter. I have, it seems to me, forbidden you to broach the subject."

The young detective hung his head with a hypocritical air of submission.
But all the while he watched the magistrate out of the corner of his eye
and noted his agitation. "I can afford to be silent," he thought; "he
will return to the subject of his own accord."

And in fact M. Segmuller did return to it only a moment afterward.
"Suppose this man were released from prison," said he, "what would you
do?"

"What would I do, sir! I would follow him like grim death; I would not
once let him out of my sight; I would be his shadow."

"And do you suppose he wouldn't discover this surveillance?"

"I should take my precautions."

"But he would recognize you at a single glance."

"No, sir, he wouldn't, for I should disguise myself. A detective who
can't equal the most skilful actor in the matter of make-up is no
better than an ordinary policeman. I have only practised at it for a
twelvemonth, but I can easily make myself look old or young, dark or
light, or assume the manner of a man of the world, or of some frightful
ruffian of the barrieres."

"I wasn't aware that you possessed this talent, Monsieur Lecoq."

"Oh! I'm very far from the perfection I hope to arrive at; though I may
venture to say that in three days from now I could call on you and talk
with you for half an hour without being recognized."

M. Segmu