And concentrating all his thoughts on the task before him, he hurried on
his way.




VII

When, after a rapid walk of twenty minutes, Lecoq reached the police
station near the Barriere d'Italie, the doorkeeper, with his pipe in
his mouth, was pacing slowly to and fro before the guard-house. His
thoughtful air, and the anxious glances he cast every now and then
toward one of the little grated windows of the building sufficed to
indicate that some very rare bird indeed had been entrusted to his
keeping. As soon as he recognized Lecoq, his brow cleared, and he paused
in his promenade.

"Ah, well!" he inquired, "what news do you bring?"

"I have an order to conduct the prisoners to the prefecture."

The keeper rubbed his hands, and his smile of satisfaction plainly
implied that he felt a load the less on his shoulders.

"Capital! capital!" he exclaimed. "The Black Maria, the prison van, will
pass here in less than an hour; we will throw them in, and hurry the
driver off--"

Lecoq was obliged to interrupt the keeper's transports of satisfaction.
"Are the prisoners alone?" he inquired.