ts then?
They said he had fallen from his flier!"

Big Ernestine gave a laugh:

"He fell right enough, poor little fellow, and from pretty high too--but
he's not broken a thing ... not this time ... a bit of luck I don't
think--eh?"

"He's a mascot, I'm certain," declared Mother Toulouche. Then she said:
"You spoke of the others?... Who are they--the others?"

"But didn't they tell you?" cried the surprised Ernestine, for she
thought old Mother Toulouche was in the know: "Why, there's the
Beadle--and the Beard...."

"Oh," cried Mother Toulouche, much impressed: "If the Beard's in it,
then it's a serious affair!"

"Yes," replied big Ernestine, staring hard at the old receiver of stolen
goods: "It's serious all right! If the chloroform doesn't work--oh, well
... they'll bring the knife into play...."

Big Ernestine looked at her little silver watch to mark the time:

"Past midnight!" she remarked: "I must hurry off and see what they're up
to!"

As she was making off Mother Toulouche stopped her:

"Have a glass of rum to start on--it puts heart into you!"

The two women were quite ready for a drink together. When they had
swallowed their dose, big Ernestine smacked her tongue:

"Famous stuff!... It puts a heart into you and no mistake!"

"Yes, it's the right stuff--the best," agreed Mother Toulouche: "It's
what Nibet prefers!" she added. Then she cried: "But Nibet, how ...
isn't he in it?"

Big Ernestine put a finger on her lips:

"Nibet's in it of course--as he always is--you know that, old
Toulouche--but he's content to show the way--you know he seldom does
anything himself ... besides, it seems he's on duty at the depot
to-night!"

Big Ernestine threw an old shawl over her head and went off crying:

"I'm off, and in for it now!... Soon be back, Mother Toulouche!"

* * * * *

The magnificent mansion of Thomery, the sugar refiner, overlooked the
park Monceau. It was approached by a very quiet little avenue, in which
were a few big houses: it opened on to the boulevard Malesherbes, and
was known as the avenue de Valois. All the dwellings there are
sumptuous, richly inhabited, and if the avenue is peaceful and silent by
day, it is no uncommon thing to see it of an evening crowded with
carriages and luxurious motor-cars, come to fetch the owners away to
dinners and entertainments.

On this particular evening the approaches to the avenue de Valois were
full of animatio