own between you. It would be dangerous
to give it to the hotel-servants."

"But if any one meets us?"

"Well, what then, Masher? Aren't you a chauffeur? You're carrying the
trunk of your employer here present, the lady in No. 130, who will
also go down, step into her motor... and wait for me two hundred yards
farther on. Growler, you help to hoist the trunk up. Oh, first lock the
partition-door!"

Lupin went to the next room, closed the other door, shot the bolt,
walked out, locked the door behind him and went down in the lift.

In the office, he said:

"M. Daubrecq has suddenly been called away to Monte Carlo. He asked me
to say that he would not be back until Tuesday and that you were to keep
his room for him. His things are all there. Here is the key."

He walked away quietly and went after the car, where he found Clarisse
lamenting:

"We shall never be in Paris to-morrow! It's madness! The least
breakdown..."

"That's why you and I are going to take the train. It's safer..."

He put her into a cab and gave his parting instructions to the two men:

"Thirty miles an hour, on the average, do you understand? You're to
drive and rest, turn and turn about. At that rate, you ought to be in
Paris between six and seven to-morrow evening. But don't force the pace.
I'm keeping Daubrecq, not because I want him for my plans, but as a
hostage... and then by way of precaution... I like to feel that I can
lay my hands on him during the next few days. So look after the dear
fellow... Give him a few drops of chloroform every three or four hours:
it's his one weakness... Off with you, Masher... And you, Daubrecq,
don't get excited up there. The roof'll bear you all right... If you
feel at all sick, don't mind... Off you go, Masher!"

He watched the car move into the distance and then told the cabman to
drive to a post-office, where he dispatched a telegram in these words:

"M. Prasville, Prefecture de Police, Paris:

"Person found. Will bring you document eleven o'clock
to-morrow morning. Urgent communication.

"CLARISSE."

Clarisse and Lupin reached the station by half-past two.

"If only there's room!" said Clarisse, who was alarmed at the least
thing.

"Room? Why, our berths are booked!"

"By whom?"

"By Jacob... by Daubrecq."

"How?"

"Why, at the office of the hotel they gave me a letter which had come
for Daubrecq by express. It was the two berths which Jacob had sent him.
Also, I have h