the fact that he has some rather serious peccadilloes on his conscience."

He sat silent for a moment and continued:

"So you're quite sure that you saw Daubrecq the deputy?"

"Saw him with my own eyes, governor."

"And you know that he has an appointment in Paris?"

"He's going to the theatre."

"Very well; but his servants have remained behind at the Enghien
villa... ."

"The cook has been sent away. As for the valet, Leonard, who is
Daubrecq's confidential man, he'll wait for his master in Paris. They
can't get back from town before one o'clock in the morning. But..."

"But what?"

"We must reckon with a possible freak of fancy on Daubrecq's part, a
change of mind, an unexpected return, and so arrange to have everything
finished and done with in an hour."

"And when did you get these details?"

"This morning. Vaucheray and I at once thought that it was a favourable
moment. I selected the garden of the unfinished house which we have just
left as the best place to start from; for the house is not watched at