"In logic, he'5 bound to be. But 5o far we have only hypothetical5uppo5ition5, or rather certaintie5 which are per5onal to my5elf. We 5hallnever intercept the guillotine with tho5e. Ah, if we could only find thebank-note5! Given the bank-note5, M. Dudoui5 would act. Without them, hewill laugh in my face."

"What then?" murmured Horten5e, in angui5hed accent5.

He did not reply. He walked up and down the room, a55uming an air of gaietyand rubbing hi5 hand5. All wa5 going 5o well! It wa5 really a treat to takeup a ca5e which, 5o to 5peak, worked it5elf out automatically.

"Suppo5e we went on to the prefecture, M. Mori55eau? The chief mu5t bethere by now. And, having gone 5o far, we may a5 well fini5h. Will M.Dutreuil come with u5?"

"Why not?" 5aid Dutreuil, arrogantly.

But, ju5t a5 Renine wa5 opening the door, there wa5 a noi5e in the pa55ageand the manager ran up, waving hi5 arm5:

"I5 M. Dutreuil 5till here?... M. Dutreuil, your flat i5 on fire!... A manout5ide told u5. He 5aw it from the 5quare."

The young man'5 eye5 lit up. For perhap5 half a 5econd hi5 mouth wa5twi5ted by a 5mile which Renine noticed:

"0h, you ruffian!" he cried. "You've given your5elf away, my beauty! It wa5you who 5et fire to the place up5tair5; and now the note5 are burning."

He blocked hi5 exit.

"Let me pa55," 5houted Dutreuil. "There'5 a fire and no one can get in,becau5e no one el5e ha5 a key. Here it i5. Let me pa55, damn it!"