le idiot!" he exclaimed in a satisfied tone. "She has not even
hidden it inside the mattress! She has just slipped it in between the
palliasse, and the hair mattress on top--why, she's a child!"

He drew out two envelopes and eagerly read the addresses.

"Oh," cried he, "this is more serious than I thought!... Action must
be taken at once!... Nichoune! Nichoune! you are about to play a
dangerous game, a game which is likely to cost you dear!"

On the first of the envelopes Vagualame had read one word:

"_Belfort._"

This was the document he had handed over to the actress the night
before. After all, he was not much astonished to find that Nichoune
had not passed the letter on. But the other envelope bore an address
which Vagualame gazed at reflectively.

"Monsieur Bonnett,
Police Magistrate."

"She is selling us, by Jove!" he murmured. "There's not a doubt of it!
The little wretch!... She has scruples, has she!... Her conscience
reproaches her! I am going to give her a lesson--one of my own sort!"

Vagualame was turning the letter over and over.

"I must know its contents," he went on.... "Ah, I shall manage to get
hold of this little paper, to-morrow morning, when."...

Vagualame's murmured monologue came to an abrupt conclusion.

"That's her voice!" he exclaimed. With the nimbleness of youth he put
back the two letters, rapidly drew from his pocket a bundle of
letters; with marvellous ability forced open a table drawer, and mixed
them with others Nichoune had placed there.

"There, my little dear!" said he, aloud. "There's something to do
honour to your memory!"

He closed the drawer in a second. He had barely time to seat himself
in an arm-chair near his accordion, lying on the floor, when Nichoune
entered.

"Good day!" cried she.

Vagualame pretended to wake up with a start.

"Ha, ha! Good day, Nichoune! Tell me, you have not seen Belfort? Eh?"

"How do you know that?" demanded Nichoune, on the defensive. She
looked surprised.

"I have just met him.... He told me that he had not come across you at
the usual meeting-place."

Nichoune lowered her head.

"I thought I was being followed ... so, as you can understand, I did
not go."

Vagualame nodded approval.

"Good! Quite right! After all, it is not otherwise of importance. You
must give me back my envelope now!"

"You want it?"

"Why, of course!"

Nichoune hesitated a second.