tomed to wear a
cassock, act as a woman would? Fandor realised that, in this instance,
the riddle of sex was still unsolved.

Fandor-Vinson began to undress: the priest continued to polish his
nails.

"You are not going to bed, Monsieur l'Abbe?"

"Yes, I am."

The ecclesiastic took off his shoes; then his collar. Then he lay down
on the bed.

"You will sleep with all your clothes on?" asked Fandor-Vinson.

"Yes, when I have to sleep in a bed I am not accustomed to!... Should
I blow out the candle, Corporal?"

"Blow it out, Monsieur l'Abbe."

Fandor felt sure the little priest was a woman disguised. He dare not
take off his cassock because he was she!

Wishing his strange companion a good night's rest, Fandor snuggled
under the bedclothes. Determined to keep awake and alert, he tried to
pass the dark hours by mentally reciting _Le Cid_!

XXI

A CORDIAL UNDERSTANDING

"Let us make peace!"

Juve held out his hand--a firm, strong hand--the hand of a trusty man.

"Let us make peace frankly, sincerely, wholeheartedly!"

Lieutenant de Loubersac signed the pact, without a moment's
hesitation: he put his hand into the hand of Juve, and shook it
warmly.

"Agreed, Monsieur: we are of one mind on that point!"

The two men stood silent, considering each other, despite the violence
of the west wind sweeping across the end of the stockade, bringing
with it enormous foam-tipped waves, rising from a rough, grey sea.

The detective and the officer were on the jetty of Dieppe harbour.
This chill December afternoon, the sea looked dark and threatening.

Since their arrival at Dieppe, Juve and de Loubersac had mutually
avoided each other. Time and again they had come face to face, each
more bored, more cross-looking than the other. This mutual, sulky
avoidance was over: they had made it up.

* * * * *

The evening before, following his arrest under the guise of Vagualame,
Juve had been conducted to the Depot by his colleagues. No sooner were
they seated in the taxi, under the charge of Inspector Michel and his
companion, than Juve made himself known to his gratified, unsuspecting
colleagues. It was a humiliating surprise for the two policemen: they
felt fooled.

Juve, realising that neither Michel nor his colleagues were at
present likely to lend him their generous aid in the carrying out of
certain plans, decided to keep silence: nor would he let them into the
secret of