on Department, you know, who has
brought so many notorious criminals to justice. Now M. Juve manifested
the greatest excitement over the discovery and the nature of this
document; and he did not attempt to hide from his interviewer his belief
that the strange nature of this unusual epistle was proof of the
intervention of Fantomas. You very likely know that Juve has made it his
special business to follow up Fantomas; he has sworn that he will take
him, and he is after him body and soul. Let us hope he will succeed! But
it is no good pretending that Juve's job is not as difficult a one as
can be imagined.

"However, it is a fair inference that when Juve spoke as he did to the
representative of _La Capitale_, he did not think he was going too far
when he declared that a crime lay behind the disappearance of Lord
Beltham, and that perhaps the crime must be laid at Fantomas' door; and
we can only hope that at some not distant date, justice will not only
throw full light upon this mysterious affair, but also rid us for ever
of this terrifying criminal!"

President Bonnet had convinced his audience completely, and his closing
words cast a chill upon them all.

The Marquise de Langrune deemed it time to create a diversion.

"Who are these people, Lord and Lady Beltham?" she enquired.

"Oh, my dear!" the Baronne de Vibray answered, "it is perfectly obvious
that you lead the life of a hermit in this remote country home of yours,
and that echoes from the world of Paris do not reach you often! Lord and
Lady Beltham are among the best known and most popular people in
society. He was formerly attached to the English Embassy, but left Paris
to fight in the Transvaal, and his wife went with him and showed
magnificent courage and compassion in charge of the ambulance and
hospital work. They then went back to London, and a couple of years ago
they settled once more in Paris. They lived, and still live, in the
boulevard Inkermann at Neuilly-sur-Seine, in a delightful house where
they entertain a great deal. I have often been one of Lady Beltham's
guests; she is a most fascinating woman, distinguished, tall, fair, and
endowed with the charm that is peculiar to the women of the North. I am
very distressed at the trouble that is hanging over her."

"Well," said the Marquise de Langrune conclusively, "I mean to believe
that the gloomy prognostications of our friend the president will not be
justified by the event."

"Amen!" murmured