le, rode to Eguzon, woke up the gendarmerie, set
them all going, made them sound the boot and saddle and returned to
Crozant at eight o'clock, accompanied by the sergeant and eight
gendarmes. Two of the men were posted beside the gipsy-van. Two others
took up their positions outside the postern-door. The last four,
commanded by their chief and accompanied by Beautrelet and Valmeras,
marched to the main entrance of the castle.

Too late. The door was wide open. A peasant told them that he had seen
a motor car drive out of the castle an hour before.

Indeed, the search led to no result. In all probability, the gang had
installed themselves there picnic fashion. A few clothes were found, a
little linen, some household implements; and that was all.

What astonished Beautrelet and Valmeras more was the disappearance of
the wounded man. They could not see the faintest trace of a struggle,
not even a drop of blood on the flagstones of the hall.

All said, there was no material evidence to prove the fleeting presence
of Lupin at the Chateau de l'Aiguille; and the authorities would have
been entitled to challenge the statements of Beautrelet and his father,
of Valmeras and Mlle. de Saint-Veran, had they not ended by
discovering, in a room next to that occupied by the young girl, some
half-dozen exquisite bouquets with Arsene Lupin's card pinned to them,
bouquets scorned by her, faded and forgotten--One of them, in addition
to the card, contained a letter which Raymonde had not seen. That
afternoon, when opened by the examining magistrate, it was found to
contain page upon page of prayers, entreaties, promises, threats,
despair, all the madness of a love that has encountered nothing but
contempt and repulsion.

And the letter ended:

I shall come on Tuesday evening, Raymonde. Reflect between now and
then. As for me, I will wait no longer. I am resolved on all.

* * * * *

Tuesday evening was the evening of the very day on which Beautrelet had
released Mlle. de Saint-Veran from her captivity.

The reader will remember the extraordinary explosion of surprise and
enthusiasm that resounded throughout the world at the news of that
unexpected issue: Mlle. de Saint-Veran free! The pretty girl whom Lupin
coveted, to secure whom he had contrived his most Machiavellian
schemes, snatched from his claws! Free also Beautrelet's father, whom
Lupin had chosen as a hostage in his extravagant longing for