s d'Andillot, after learning of her death, were the most
thrilling and absorbing moments of my life. In those forty minutes,
involved as I was in a most dangerous plight, I calmly studied the scene
of the murder and reached the conclusion that the crime must have been
committed by one of the house servants. I also decided that, in order
to get the pearl, that servant must be arrested, and so I left the
wainscoat button; it was necessary, also, for me to hold some convincing
evidence of his guilt, so I carried away the knife which I found upon
the floor, and the key which I found in the lock. I closed and
locked the door, and erased the finger-marks from the plaster in the
wardrobe-closet. In my opinion, that was one of those flashes--"

"Of genius," I said, interrupting.

"Of genius, if you wish. But, I flatter myself, it would not have
occurred to the average mortal. To frame, instantly, the two elements of
the problem--an arrest and an acquittal; to make use of the formidable
machinery of the law to crush and humble my victim, and reduce him to a
condition in which, when free, he would be certain to fall into the trap
I was laying for him!"

"Poor devil--"

"Poor devil, do you say? Victor Danegre, the assassin! He might have
descended to the lowest depths of vice and crime, if he had retained the
black pearl. Now, he lives! Think of that: Victor Danegre is alive!"

"And you have the black pearl."

He took it out of one of the secret pockets of his wallet, examined it,
gazed at it tenderly, and caressed it with loving fingers, and sighed,
as he said:

"What cold Russian prince, what vain and foolish rajah may some day
possess this priceless treasure! Or, perhaps, some American millionaire
is destined to become the owner of this morsel of exquisite beauty that
once adorned the fair bosom of Leontine Zalti, the Countess d'Andillot."

IX. Sherlock Holmes Arrives Too Late

"It is really remarkable, Velmont, what a close resemblance you bear to
Arsene Lupin!"

"How do you know?"

"Oh! like everyone else, from photographs, no two of which are alike,
but each of them leaves the impression of a face.... something like
yours."

Horace Velmont displayed some vexation.

"Quite so, my dear Devanne. And, believe me, you are not the first one
who has noticed it."

"It is so striking," persisted Devanne, "that if you had not been
recommended to me by my cousin d'Estevan, and if you were not the
celebrated a