ard reflected a moment, then said:

"When the anthropological service had Baudru's case under consideration,
why did they not perceive that his measurements coincided with those of
Arsene Lupin?"

"My measurements are not in existence."

"Indeed!"

"At least, they are false. I have given considerable attention to
that question. In the first place, the Bertillon system of records the
visible marks of identification--and you have seen that they are not
infallible--and, after that, the measurements of the head, the
fingers, the ears, etc. Of course, such measurements are more or less
infallible."

"Absolutely."

"No; but it costs money to get around them. Before we left America, one
of the employees of the service there accepted so much money to insert
false figures in my measurements. Consequently, Baudru's measurements
should not agree with those of Arsene Lupin."

After a short silence, Ganimard asked:

"What are you going to do now?"

"Now," replied Lupin, "I am going to take a rest, enjoy the best of food
and drink and gradually recover my former healthy condition. It is all
very well to become Baudru or some other person, on occasion, and to
change your personality as you do your shirt, but you soon grow weary of
the change. I feel exactly as I imagine the man who lost his shadow must
have felt, and I shall be glad to be Arsene Lupin once more."

He walked to and fro for a few minutes, then, stopping in front of
Ganimard, he said:

"You have nothing more to say, I suppose?"

"Yes. I should like to know if you intend to reveal the true state of
facts connected with your escape. The mistake that I made---"

"Oh! no one will ever know that it was Arsene Lupin who was discharged.
It is to my own interest to surround myself with mystery, and therefore
I shall permit my escape to retain its almost miraculous character. So,
have no fear on that score, my dear friend. I shall say nothing. And
now, good-bye. I am going out to dinner this evening, and have only
sufficient time to dress."

"I though you wanted a rest."

"Ah! there are duties to society that one cannot avoid. To-morrow, I
shall rest."

"Where do you dine to-night?"

"With the British Ambassador!"

IV. The Mysterious Traveller

The evening before, I had sent my automobile to Rouen by the highway.
I was to travel to Rouen by rail, on my way to visit some friends that
live on the banks of the Seine.

At Paris, a few minutes befor