re had been others
whom he had found, and probably he might still be able to find another
trail. He had a collaborator who seldom failed him--Chance! It was
destiny which often aided him.

Bernardet took an omnibus in his haste to return to his Chief. He was
anxious to show his "find" to M. Leriche. When he reached the Prefecture
he was immediately received. He unwrapped the portrait and showed it to
M. Leriche.

"But that is Dantin!" cried the Chief.

"Is it not?"

"Without doubt! Dantin when younger, but assuredly Dantin! And where did
you dig this up?"

Bernardet related his conversation with Mme. Colard and his fruitless
visit to the Rue de la Condamine.

"Oh, never mind," said M. Leriche. "This discovery is something. The man
who sold this picture and Dantin are accomplices. Bravo, Bernardet! We
must let M. Ginory know."

The Examining Magistrate was, like the Chief and Bernardet, struck with
the resemblance of the portrait to Dantin. His first move would be to
question the prisoner about the picture. He would go at once to Mazas.
M. Leriche and Bernardet should accompany him. The presence of the
police spy might be useful, even necessary.

The Magistrate and the Chief entered a fiacre, while Bernardet mounted
beside the driver. Bernardet said nothing, although the man tried to
obtain some information from him. After one or two monosyllabic answers,
the driver mockingly asked:

"Are you going to the Souriciere (trap) to tease some fat rat?"

M. Ginory and M. Leriche talked together of the _Walkyrie_, of Bayreuth;
and the Chief asked, through politeness, for news about his candidature
to the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences.

"Do not let us talk of the Institute," the Magistrate replied. "It is
like the beginning of a hunt; to sigh for the prize that brings
unhappiness."

The sombre pile, the Mazas, opened its doors to the three men. They
traversed the long corridors, with the heavy air which pervaded them in
spite of all efforts to the contrary, to a small room, sparsely
furnished (a table, a few chairs, a glass bookcase), which served as an
office for the Examining Magistrates when they had to hold any
interviews with the prisoners.

The guardian-in-chief walked along with M. Ginory, M. Leriche followed
them, and Bernardet respectfully brought up the rear.

"Bring in Jacques Dantin!" M. Ginory ordered. He seated himself at the
table. M. Leriche took a chair at one side, and Bernardet stoo