's the one I'm curious to see!" said M. Desmalions. "He interests me
like the very devil! Did you read the report of the Foreign Legion?"

"Yes, Monsieur le Prefet, and I confess that this gentleman
puzzles me, too."

"He does, eh? Did you ever hear of such pluck? A sort of heroic madman,
something absolutely wonderful! And then there's that nickname of Arsene
Lupin which he earned among his messmates for the way in which he used
to boss them and astound them! ... How long is it since the death of
Arsene Lupin?"

"It happened two years before your appointment, Monsieur le Prefet. His
corpse and Mme. Kesselbach's were discovered under the ruins of a little
chalet which was burnt down close to the Luxemburg frontier. It was found
at the inquest that he had strangled that monster, Mrs. Kesselbach, whose
crimes came to light afterward, and that he hanged himself after setting
fire to the chalet."

"It was a fitting end for that--rascal," said M. Desmalions, "and I
confess that I, for my part, much prefer not having him to fight against.
Let's see, where were we? Are the papers of the Mornington inheritance
ready for me?"

"On your desk, Monsieur le Prefet."

"Good. But I was forgetting: is Inspector Verot here?"

"Yes, Monsieur le Prefet. I expect he's in the infirmary getting
something to pull him together."

"Why, what's the matter with him?"

"He struck me as being in a queer state--rather ill."

"How do you mean?"

The secretary described his interview with Inspector Verot.

"And you say he left a letter for me?" said M. Desmalions with a worried
air. "Where is it?"

"Among the papers, Monsieur le Prefet."

"Very odd: it's all very odd. Verot is a first-rate inspector, a very
sober-minded fellow; and he doesn't get frightened easily. You might go
and fetch him. Meanwhile, I'll look through my letters."

The secretary hurried away. When he returned, five minutes later,
he stated, with an air of astonishment, that he had not seen
Inspector Verot.

"And what's more curious still," he added, "is that the messenger who saw
him leave this room saw him come in again almost at once and did not see
him go out a second time."

"Perhaps he only passed through here to go to you."

"To me, Monsieur le Prefet? I was in my room all the time."

"Then it's incomprehensible."

"Yes ... unless we conclude that the messenger's attention was distracted
for a second, as Verot is neither here nor next door."

"That