Mascarin gave his friend a meaning glance, and then, in a careless
manner, replied, "Caroline Schimmel, a former servant of the Champdoce
family, also patronizes our office. How did you find her, Beaumarchef?"

"Well, an idea occurred to me."

"Pooh! do you have ideas at your time of life?"

Beaumarchef put on an air of importance. "My idea was this," he went
on: "as I left the office with Toto Chupin, I said to myself, the woman
would certainly drop in at some pub before she reached the boulevard."

"A sound argument," remarked the doctor.

"Therefore Toto and I took a squint into every one we passed, and before
we got to the Rue Carreau we saw her in one, sure enough."

"And Toto is after her now?"

"Yes, sir; he said he would follow her like her shadow, and will bring
in a report every day."

"I am very pleased with you, Beaumarchef," said Mascarin, rubbing his
hands joyously.

Beaumarchef seemed highly flattered, but continued,--

"This is not all."

"What else is there to tell?"