ay. San Remo. Station platform. Give the porter of the
Ambassadeurs-Palace ten francs for the loan of his cap. The three gents
arrive. They speak to me. Explain to them that a lady traveller,
Mme. Mergy, is going on to Genoa, to the Hotel Continental. The gents
hesitate. M. Nicole wants to get out. The others hold him back. The
train starts. Good luck, gents! An hour later, I take the train for
France and get out at Nice, to await fresh orders."

Jacob closed his note-book and concluded:

"That's all. To-day's doings will be entered this evening."

"You can enter them now, M. Jacob. '12 noon. M. Daubrecq sends me to the
Wagon-Lits Co. I book two berths in the Paris sleeping-car, by the 2.48
train, and send them to M. Daubrecq by express messenger. Then I take
the 12.58 train for Vintimille, the frontier-station, where I spend
the day on the platform watching all the travellers who come to France.
Should Messrs. Nicole, Growler and Masher take it into their heads to
leave Italy and return to Paris by way of Nice, my instructions are to
telegraph to the headquarters of police that Master Arsene Lupin and two
of his accomplices are in train number so-and-so."

While speaking, Daubrecq led Jacob to the door. He closed it after him,
turned the key, pushed the bolt and, going up to Clarisse, said:

"And now, darling, listen to me."

This time, she uttered no protest. What could she do against such an
enemy, so powerful, so resourceful, who provided for everything, down to
the minutest details, and who toyed with his adversaries in such an airy
fashion? Even if she had hoped till then for Lupin's interference, how
could she do so now, when he was wandering through Italy in pursuit of a
shadow?

She understood at last why three telegrams which she had sent to the
Hotel Franklin had remained unanswered. Daubrecq was there, lurking in
the dark, watching, establishing a void around her, separating her from
her comrades in the fight, bringing her gradually, a beaten prisoner,
within the four walls of that room.

She felt her weakness. She was at the monster's mercy. She must be
silent and resigned.

He repeated, with an evil delight:

"Listen to me, darling. Listen to the irrevocable words which I am about
to speak. Listen to them well. It is now 12 o'clock. The last train
starts at 2.48: you understand, the last train that can bring me to
Paris to-morrow, Monday, in time to save your son. The evening-trains
would arriv