“Not perfectly, but I can read it.  Allow me.”

He also turned over the pages, pausing to read a passage here and there, and nodding his head from time to time, evidently struck with the importance of the matter recorded.

Meanwhile, M. Flocon continued an angry conversation with his offending subordinate.

“You will have to find him, Block, and that speedily, within twenty-four hours,—­to-day, indeed,—­or I will break you like a stick, and send you into the gutter.  Of course, such a consummate ass as you have proved yourself would not think of searching the restaurant or the immediate neighbourhood, or of making inquiries as to whether he had been seen, or as to which way he had gone?”

“Pardon me, monsieur is too hard on me.  I have been unfortunate, a victim to circumstances, still I believe I know my duty.  Yes, I made inquiries, and, what is more, I heard of him.”

“Where? how?” asked the Chief, gruffly, but obviously much interested.

“He never spoke to the manager, but walked out and let the change go.  It was a note for a hundred lire, a hundred francs, and the restaurant bill was no more than seventeen francs.”

“Hah! that is greatly against him indeed.”

“He was much pressed, in a great hurry.  Directly he crossed the threshold he called the first cab and was driving away, but he was stopped—­”

“The devil!  Why did they not keep him, then?”

“Stopped, but only for a moment, and accosted by a woman.”

“A woman?”

“Yes, monsieur.  They exchanged but three words.  He wished to pass on, to leave her, she would not consent, then they both got into the cab and were driven away together.”

The officials were now listening with all ears.

“Tell me,” said the Chief, “quick, this woman—­what was she like?  Did you get her description?”

“Tall, slight, well formed, dressed all in black.  Her face—­it was a policeman who saw her, and he said she was good-looking, dark, brunette, black hair.”

“It is the maid herself!” cried the little Chief, springing up and slapping his thigh in exuberant glee.  “The maid! the missing maid!”

CHAPTER XIV

The joy of the Chief of Detectives at having thus come, as he supposed, upon the track of the missing maid, Hortense Petitpre, was somewhat dashed by the doubts freely expressed by the Judge as to the result of any search.  Since Block’s return, M. Beaumont le Hardi had developed strong symptoms of discontent and disapproval at his colleague’s proceedings.

“But if it was this Hortense Petitpre how did she get there, by the bridge Henri Quatre, when we thought to find her somewhere down the line?  It cannot be the same woman.”

“I beg your pardon, gentlemen,” interposed Block.  “May I say one word?  I believe I can supply some interesting information about Hortense Petitpre.  I understand that some one like her was seen here in the station not more than an hour ago.”