tive with
lightning rapidity. He tore his hand from Juve's tenacious grip,
bounded to the mantelpiece, threw down the lamp with a jerk of his
elbow, thrust Juve violently aside, and rushed to the door.

Like lightning Juve tore off in pursuit.

The masquerader had the advantage by some yards. Banging door after
door in Juve's face, he rushed towards the entrance hall, gained the
staircase, racing down it by leaps and bounds, four steps at a
time!... Juve at his heels, risked breaking his neck in hot
pursuit....

Vagualame reached the porch of the house door: Juve was close on his
quarry....

"I shall get him!" thought Juve: "In the street the people will lend
me a helping hand!"

Vagualame fled through the doorway: in passing, he seized the massive
door and pulled it to with a resounding bang....

Juve, borne forward by the impetus of his dashing pursuit, staggered
backwards and rolled to the ground....

Instantly Juve sprang to the porter's lodge and demanded the string!
In the twinkling of an eye and Juve was out in the street! He was
furious, he was breathless.... The whole length of the pavements not a
soul was in sight! Vagualame had vanished!

* * * * *

Taking advantage of the fact that Fandor's concierge knew him well,
and was aware of his standing as an officer of the detective force,
Juve, after having explained in a few words to the honest creature the
cause of the commotion mounted to Fandor's flat once more.

"What the deuce is the meaning of all this?" he was asking himself.
"Two hours ago, Fandor telephones me that he must see me on a matter
of the utmost urgency ... he telephones me that he cannot go out, that
he is waiting for me.... And now, not only is he not here, but I
stumble on an agent from the Second Bureau.... I encounter a Vagualame
disguised, who runs as if all the devils of hell were after him ...
who makes off with extraordinary agility, whose presence of mind in
burking pursuit is marvellous!... Who is this fellow?... What was he
up to in Fandor's flat?... Where is Fandor?"

Our detective had just re-entered the journalist's study. There, on
the floor, lay the bundle which had excited his curiosity when
Vagualame was present.

"The enemy," thought he, "has retired, but has abandoned his baggage!"

Juve relighted the lamp, and undid the black serge covering of the
bundle.

"Ah! I might have guessed as much, it is an accordion, Vagualame's
a