inson and Butler--that makes two."

"I beg your pardon, Commandant: that makes only one!"

The commandant looked severely at his subordinate.

"That is enough, Lieutenant!... Send for Corporal Vinson who occupied
cell 26."

"Right, Commandant!"

Some minutes later there was a knock at the door: two warders with a
prisoner stood on the threshold.

The commandant assured himself with a glance that the non-commissioned
officer, acting as reporter, was at his post, and that Lieutenant
Servin was seated at the desk next his own.

"Enter!" he commanded.

Dumoulin solemnly opened the voluminous bundle of papers set before
him, looked through the documents, affecting not to see the prisoner
stationed before him.... Ready at length to begin the interrogation,
the commandant raised his head, straightened himself, and ordered:

"Approach!"

The prisoner, a warder on each side of him, took a step forward.

"You are truly Corporal Vinson?"

"No, Commandant!"

Dumoulin was silent a moment, choking with anger, his hand trembling
slightly--did the fellow mean to mock him?... He frowned. He did not
like the manner of this fellow, with his bright, piercing eyes, his
scornful looks. He repeated:

"Are you Corporal Vinson?"

"No, Commandant."

Dumoulin was boiling with rage: he was about to explode. Lieutenant
Servin approached: in a low voice he said:

"Commandant! Someone wishes you to see him immediately."

Servin handed his superior a card. On it the commandant read:

_Inspector Juve,
Detective Force,
Police Headquarters._

"What does he want?"

"He is the detective who arrested Vinson."

"Well," exclaimed the exasperated Dumoulin, "he arrives at the right
moment! Let him come in!"

Juve entered and saluted Dumoulin with an amiable smile. He did not
take any notice of the prisoner, who was standing with his back to the
light.

"It is I, Commandant, who arrested Corporal Vinson; consequently, I
have come to place myself at your disposal."

"You have done the right thing!" cried Dumoulin. "Now, will you get
this prisoner to own up? Make him tell us whether or no he is Corporal
Vinson!"

Dumoulin pointed an irate finger at the prisoner.

Our detective stood rooted to the ground!... The prisoner moved
quickly towards him.

"Fandor!"

"Juve!"

"What does this mean, Fandor?"

"It means, Juve, that I am arrested in the place of Corporal Vinson!"