carnival."

"Why do you think that?"

"Oh, I know it better than I can explain it. I know it by his hair, by
his nails, by his whole appearance, by a certain _je ne sais quoi_; in
short, I know it by everything and by nothing. Why look, the poor devil
did not even know how to put on his shoes; he has laced his gaiters
wrong side outwards." Evidently further doubt was impossible after this
evidence, which confirmed the truth of Lecoq's first remark to Inspector
Gevrol.

"Still, if this person was a civilian, how could he have procured this
clothing?" insisted the commissary. "Could he have borrowed it from the
men in your company?"

"Yes, that is possible; but it is difficult to believe."

"Is there no way by which you could ascertain?"

"Oh! very easily. I have only to run over to the fort and order an
inspection of clothing."

"Do so," approved the commissary; "it would be an excellent way of
getting at the truth."

But Lecoq had just thought of a method quite as convincing, and much
more prompt. "One word, sergeant," said he, "isn't cast off military
clothing sold by public auction?"