nce occurred to them. Although of very different natures,
they were both determined to persevere in the task they had set
themselves--that of solving this tantalizing enigma. Lecoq, indeed,
had resolved to renounce all other claims upon his time, and to devote
himself entirely to the study of the case. "Henceforth," he said to M.
Segmuller, "I also will constitute myself a prisoner; and although the
suspected murderer will be unable to see me, I shall not lose sight of
him!"

It so happened that there was a loft between the cell occupied by May
and the roof of the prison, a loft of such diminutive proportions that
a man of average height could not stand upright in it. This loft had
neither window nor skylight, and the gloom would have been intense,
had not a few faint sun-rays struggled through the interstices of
some ill-adjusted tiles. In this unattractive garret Lecoq established
himself one fine morning, just at the hour when May was taking his daily
walk in the courtyard of the prison accompanied by a couple of keepers.
Under these circumstances there was no fear of Lecoq's movements
attracting the prisoner's notice or suspicion. The garret had a paved
floor, and first of all the young detective removed one of the stones
with a pickax he had brought for the purpose. Beneath this stone he
found a timber beam, through which he next proceeded to bore a hole of
funnel shape, large at the top and gradually dwindling until on piercing
the ceiling of the cell it was no more than two-thirds of an inch in
diameter. Prior to commencing his operations, Lecoq had visited the
prisoner's quarters and had skilfully chosen the place of the projected
aperture, so that the stains and graining of the beam would hide it from
the view of any one below. He was yet at work when the governor of the
Depot and his rival Gevrol appeared upon the threshold of the loft.

"So this is to be your observatory, Monsieur Lecoq!" remarked Gevrol,
with a sneering laugh.

"Yes, sir."

"You will not be very comfortable here."

"I shall be less uncomfortable than you suppose; I have brought a large
blanket with me, and I shall stretch myself out on the floor and manage
to sleep here."

"So that, night and day, you will have your eye on the prisoner?"

"Yes, night and day."

"Without giving yourself time to eat or drink?" inquired Gevrol.

"Excuse me! Father Absinthe will bring me my meals, execute any errand I
may have, and relieve me at times