He didn't exactly know who was talking to him, but he suspected him to be some superior officer from the prefecture; and he was not surprised to see that this distinguished personage knew the ins and outs of his house. He opened the door of the room referred to without hesitation. Ten men in various guises were drinking there and playing cards. On M. Lecoq's entrance with M. Plantat, they respectfully got up and took off their hats. "Good for you, Job," said M. Lecoq to him who seemed to be their chief, "you are prompt, and it pleases me. Your ten men will be quite enough, for I shall have the three besides whom I sent out this morning." M. Job bowed, happy at having pleased a master who was not very prodigal in his praises. "I want you to wait here a while longer," resumed M. Lecoq, "for my orders will depend on a report which I am expecting." He turned to the men whom he had sent out among the upholsterers: "Which of you was successful?" "I, Monsieur," replied a big white-faced fellow, with insignificant mustaches. "What, you again, Palot? really, my lad, you are lucky. Step into this side room--first, though, order a bottle of wine, and ask the proprietor to see to it that we are not disturbed." These orders were soon executed, and M. Plantat being duly ensconced with them in the little room, the detective turned the key. "Speak up now," said he to Palot, "and be brief." "I showed the photograph to at least a dozen upholsterers without any result; but at last a merchant in the Faubourg St. Germain, named Rech, recognized it." "Tell me just what he said, if you can." "He told me that it was the portrait of one of his customers. A month ago this customer came to him to buy a complete set of furniture--drawing-room, dining-room, bed-room, and the rest--for a little house which he had just rented. He did not beat him down at all, and only made one condition to the purchase, and that was, that everything should be ready and in place, and the curtains and carpets put in, within three weeks from that time; that is a week ago last Monday." "And what was the sum-total of the purchase?" "Eighteen thousand francs, half paid down in advance, and half on the day of delivery." "And who carried the last half of the money to the upholsterer?" "A servant." "What name did this customer give?" "He called himself Monsieur James Wilson; but Monsieur Rech said he did not seem like an English-man." "Where does he live?" "The furniture was carried to a small house, No. 34 Rue St. Lazare, near the Havre station." M. Lecoq's face, which had up to that moment worn an anxious expression, beamed with joy. He felt the natural pride of a captain who has succeeded in his plans for the enemy's destruction. He tapped the old justice of the peace familiarly on the shoulder, and pronounced a single word: "Nipped!" Palot shook his head. "It isn't certain," said he. "Why?"