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56 with a little water, forming a thin paste, and he left the rest untouched on the side of the plate.

"Now, papa," said he, "come and hold the light for me."

When once in the garden, the young man sought for the deepest and most distinct of the footprints, knelt beside it, and began his experiment, trembling with anxiety.

He then sprinkled upon the impression a fine coating of the dry plaster, then upon this coating, with infinite care, he poured his liquid solution, drop by drop.

What happiness! the experiment was successful! It united in a homogeneous mass, forming a perfect model of the impress. And after an hour's labor, he possessed half a dozen of these casts, which might, perhaps, be a little wanting in clearness of outline, but which were quite perfect enough to be used as evidence.

Lecoq had reason for his alarm; it was already beginning to rain.

He had, however, plenty of time to cover with the boxes and pieces of board which Father Absinthe had collected a number of these footprints, which he had, so to speak, put beyond the reach of a thaw.

Now he could breathe. The coroner might come.

It was some distance from the Poivrière to the Rue du Chevaleret, even by way of the plain that made any détours unnecessary.

It had taken at least four hours for Lecoq and his colleague to collect their elements of information.