struggles, were
the order of their days and nights.

Juve, Fandor, the representatives of justice, one and all, united to
reduce the circle in which this ruffian revolved, and at the moment
they were about to catch him, he would fade away, leaving them as
their only spoil, the temporary personality with which he had clothed
himself, and under which he had momentarily deigned to make himself
known.

Now behold, here was this little red-haired creature, Bobinette, who
asked for the solution of this formidable, incomprehensible,
unprecedented thing, wanted it straight away.

"Who is Fantomas?"

Fandor's attitude, his expression showed how surprised he was at such
a question.

M. de Naarboveck emphasised and justified the journalist's
astonishment.

Then, in a rather dry, hard voice, Monsieur de Loubersac gave his
opinion:

"My dear Baron, don't you think that for several years past we have
been made sufficient fools of with all these Fantomas tales? For my
part, I don't believe a word of them! Such a powerful criminal has no
chance nowadays, that is to say, if he exists. One must see life in
its true proportions and recognise that it is very commonplace."...

"But, Monsieur," interrupted Mademoiselle Berthe, who, covered with
blushes, scarcely dared raise her eyes to the handsome lieutenant,
"but, Monsieur, for all that, Fantomas has been much talked about!"

The young officer looked the red-haired beauty up and down, bestowing
on her but a cursory glance. Fandor noticed that Bobinette was greatly
troubled by it. Following this little by-play, he immediately got a
very clear impression that if the lieutenant did not consider the
pretty girl worthy of much consideration, she, on her side, seemed
very much influenced by all that this elegant and handsome young
officer said or did.

Fandor had noticed, too, while the talk went on, that Mademoiselle de
Naarboveck was deeply moved, and looked sorrowful. She was a graceful
girl, in all the freshness and brilliancy of her twenty years, with
large eyes, soft and luminous. Her natural disposition was evidently a
bright and gay one, but this evening sadness overshadowed her, and to
such a point that, in spite of her efforts to be lively and pleasant,
she could not hide her sad preoccupation.

M. de Naarboveck, who had been watching Fandor closely, said to him,
in a low voice:

"Wilhelmine has been very much upset by this terrible accident which
has overtaken our fr