This
new examination assured Lecoq that he had been correct in his first
supposition. It was plain that two women had left the Poivriere by the
back door. They had started off running, as was proved by the length of
the steps and the shape of the footprints.
The difference in the tracks left by the two fugitives was so remarkable
that it did not escape Father Absinthe's eyes. "Sapristi!" he muttered;
"one of these jades can boast of having a pretty foot at the end of her
leg!"
He was right. One of the tracks betrayed a small, coquettish, slender
foot, clad in an elegant high-heeled boot with a narrow sole and an
arched instep. The other denoted a broad, short foot growing wider
toward the end. It had evidently been incased in a strong, low shoe.
This was indeed a clue. Lecoq's hopes at once revived; so eagerly does
a man welcome any supposition that is in accordance with his desires.
Trembling with anxiety, he went to examine some other footprints a short
distance from these; and an excited exclamation at once escaped his
lips.
"What is it?" eagerly inquired the other agent: "what do you see?"
"Come and look for yourself, see there!" cried Lecoq.
The old man bent down, and his surprise was so great that he almost
dropped the lantern. "Oh!" said he in a stifled voice, "a man's
footprint!"
"Exactly. And this fellow wore the finest of boots. See that imprint,
how clear, how neat it is!"
Worthy Father Absinthe was scratching his ear furiously, his usual
method of quickening his rather slow wits.
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