Arsene Lupin

for M. Formery examined every room with the most scrupulous care-with more care, indeed, than he had displayed in his examination of the drawing-rooms. In particu

grew more and more disposed to regard him as a zealous and trustworthy officer. Also he was not at all displeased at enjoying this opportunity of impressing the Duke with his powers of analysis and synthesis. He was unaware that

d penetrated and softened the soil; but there were hardly as many footprints as might have been expected, seeing that the burglars must have made many journeys in the course of robbing the drawing-rooms of so many objects of art,

g. Unfortunately, there were also hundreds of footprints. M. Formery looked at them with longing eyes; but he did not suggest that t

an ordinary chin, an ordinary forehead, rather low, and ordinary ears. He was wearing an ordinary top-hat, by no means new. His clothes were the ordinary clothes of a fairly well-to-do citizen; and his boots had been chosen less to set off any slenderness his feet might possess than for their comfortable roominess. Only his eyes reliev

iskly. He was a fine, upstanding, red-faced young fellow, ad

Formery that you have co

id Guerchard in a gentle, rather husky voice. "Do

erchard," protes

ecisively. "For the present, M. Formery

. It was almost as if the whole of his being was concentrated in the act of

he house-on the second floor. You take the servants' staircase. Then it's right at the end of the passage on

t is-I've just come from i

wide mouth of the policeman, and showed

re cleverer than all the examining

it, of course; but you ought not to say it," said Guerchard with husky

e window, and the poli

d of the top of the ladder with a powerful hand. "It's proba

u," said

indow-sill," said the policeman; and he patte

hank you," sa

iceman. "They think that Lupin's letter announcing the bu

so?" said

I can help you, si

admit no one but M. Formery, the inspector, Bonavent, or Dieusy,

ace? He's taking a great interest i

h, yes-admit the Duke of C

o his post of respon

om which the pictures had been taken, the signatures of Arsene Lupin. The very next thing he did was to pick up the book which the Duke

in, and then stared out of the window with a perplexed air, thinking hard. It was curious that, when he concentrated

, drew a small magnifying-glass from his pocket, dropped on his hands and kn

ld see under the bottom of the big tapestried fire-screen which was raised on legs about a foot high, fitted with big casters. His

s. He came back to the window to which the ladder had been raised and examined very carefully the broken shutter. He whistled softly to himself, lighted a cigar

of voices and footsteps on the stairs. He awoke from his absorption, seemed to prick his e

which seemed to expect to meet a familiar sight, then walked to the other drawing-room and looked round that. H

policeman. "He must have d

our tracks and doing all over again the work we've already done. He might have saved himself the trouble. We could have

ng which we have mi

s to what a perfection constant practice brings one's power of observation. The inspector and I w

arge mouthful," said the D

und reflection, and walked a few st

at we have disposed of the Lupin theory. This is the work of f

of that theory, sir," said the i

we haven't disposed of it to the sati

ery hard to satisf

on," said M. Formery; "but Lupin is his fi

er catches him,

by Lupin hampers him. It cramps his mind

tative pacing, stop

nclusion. Victoire is the key to the mystery. She is the accomplice. She never slept in her bed. She unmade it to put us off the scent. That, at

that she's the accomp

y. "We will go up to her room and mak

popped up above

said, "I beg that you w

ened: "What! You, Gue

o the top of the ladder and slipped lig

odded to the inspector. Then he look

Chief-Inspector Guerchard, head of the Det

rchard. I've been expecting your coming with the greatest interest. Indeed it was I who begge

er?" said M. Formery, giving Guer

'm engaged on a case. It's a distraction-and it helps. I really must congratulate you,

d regarded him with

h we do not agree, but on the whole your m

re quite sure that an examination, a more thor

Guerchard. "I have jus

he detectives who had come earlier from the Pre

crap of cloth on the edge of the well at the bottom of the garden. The

oth from him. "I feared foul play. We must go to the w

said, in his husky, gentle voice, "I don't think t

th," said M. Formery,

ed, "Do you know if there's a dog or cat in the house, your Grace? I suppose that

rth-" said

Guerchard. "But this is i

Duke. "I've seen a cat at the

ok this scrap of cloth to the edge o

ning to flush. "Here we're dealing with a most serious cri

d Guerchard; and his husky voice was

-we know nothing of the

said G

said M.

said Gu

ou explain her

ed I shouldn't explai

eared?" cried M. Formery,

't," said

ut it!" cried M. Form

Guerchard, with th

y that you know where sh

y," said

traight out that you've s

e seen her,"

her-when?" cr

to consider. Th

between four and

aven't been out of this

en't," sai

een her?" cri

chard, raising h

us where she is? Tell us!" cried M

out of my mouth," protested Guerc

. Formery; and he sank

e's here," sa

she GET here?"

ress," sai

most beside himself, glari

e pulling all our legs

e," said

e other side of it, revealing to their gaze the wide, old-fashioned fireplace itself. The iron brazier which held the coals had been moved into the corner, and a mattress lay on the floor

ked up a handkerchief, and smelt it. "There's the handkerchie

him and the s

said. "And you too, Bonaven

sleeping woman to a broad couch, and laid them on it. They sta

face an even richer purple. His eyes were rolling i

cried savagely, "You never exam

id the downca

onable!" cried M. Formery. "How is one

versight," s

"You must admit that it was mater

ou went down on all f

urs?" said

her heels sticking out beyond the

screen looked as if it had stood there si

ealing with Lupin, is to distru

ery hotly. Then he bit

ything," he said. "With these new conditions, I've got to begin all over again, to find a new explanatio

d, "I have an idea or two

hrown you off the track too?" said M. Forme

said Guerchard. "I wasn'

n the track of Lupin," said M. Formery; and

f them with curious, searching eyes: "I

moment," said M. Formery, with some return of his old grandiloquence. "We

pid eyes rested on M. Formery's self-satisfied face in a rea

ks up one of the ladders set against the scaffolding of the building house. Som

g of the unexamined firepla

en she does, I shall question her closely and fully. In the meantime, she may a

: "Not her own bedroom,

, not her own bedroom,"

door of whatever bedroom she

d M. Formery gravely. "See to it,

eir aid he and Bonavent raised the sleeping woman, a man a

Formery; and he folded his arms an

erchard watched