"
The shopkeeper paused to take breath; but Lecoq was on fire with
impatience. "And what then?" he insisted.
"Well, he paid for the wine and went away. I had forgotten all about the
matter until that man came in here just now, and after asking me if I
hadn't a package for him, which had been left by one of his cousins,
began to say some peculiar words--the countersign, no doubt. When I
replied that I had nothing at all he turned as white as his shirt; and
I thought he was going to faint. All my suspicions came back to me. So
when he afterward proposed that I should buy his clothes, I told him I
couldn't think of it."
All this was plain enough to Lecoq. "And this cousin who was here a
fortnight ago, what was he like?" asked he.
"He was a tall, rather corpulent man, with a ruddy complexion, and white
whiskers. Ah! I should recognize him in an instant!"
"The accomplice!" exclaimed Lecoq.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing that would interest you. Thank you. I am in a hurry. You will
see me again; good morning."
Lecoq had not remained five minutes in the shop: and yet, when he
emerged, May and Father Absinthe were nowhere in sight. Still, the young
detective was not at all uneasy on that score. In making arrangements
with his old colleague for this pursuit Lecoq had foreseen such a
situation, and it had been agreed that if one of them were obliged to
remain behind, the other, who was closely following May, should from
time to time make chalk marks on the walls, shutters, and facings of the
shops, so as to indicate the route, and enable his companion to rejoin
him.
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