gleams of hope. In the midst of darkness, the humblest rush-light
acquires brilliancy.

"I will go at once to Bougival, sir, if you approve of this step,"
suggested Gevrol.

"Perhaps you would do well to wait a little," answered M. Daburon. "This
man was seen on Sunday morning; we will inquire into Widow Lerouge's
movements on that day."

Three neighbours were called. They all declared that the widow had
kept her bed all Sunday. To one woman who, hearing she was unwell,
had visited her, she said, "Ah! I had last night a terrible accident."
Nobody at the time attached any significance to these words.

"The man with the rings in his ears becomes more and important," said
the magistrate, when the woman had retired. "To find him again is
indispensable: you must see to this, M. Gevrol."

"Before eight days, I shall have him," replied the chief of detective
police, "if I have to search every boat on the Seine, from its source
to the ocean. I know the name of the captain, Gervais. The navigation
office will tell me something."

He was interrupted by Lecoq, who rushed into the house breathless. "Here
is old Tabaret," he said. "I met him just as he was going out. What a
man! He wouldn't wait for the train, but gave I don't know how much to a
cabman; and we drove here in fifty minutes!"

Almost immediately, a man appeared at the door, whose aspect it must be