and furniture could not
vanish like so many ghosts. They are substantial, material things and
require doors and windows for their exits and their entrances, and so
do the people that remove them. Who were those people? How did they gain
access to the castle? And how did they leave it?

The police officers of Rouen, convinced of their own impotence,
solicited the assistance of the Parisian detective force. Mon. Dudouis,
chief of the Surete, sent the best sleuths of the iron brigade. He
himself spent forty-eight hours at the castle, but met with no success.
Then he sent for Ganimard, whose past services had proved so useful when
all else failed.

Ganimard listened, in silence, to the instructions of his superior;
then, shaking his head, he said:

"In my opinion, it is useless to ransack the castle. The solution of the
problem lies elsewhere."

"Where, then?"

"With Arsene Lupin."

"With Arsene Lupin! To support that theory, we must admit his
intervention."

"I do admit it. In fact, I consider it quite certain."

"Come, Ganimard, that is absurd. Arsene Lupin is in prison."

"I grant you that Arsene Lupin is in prison, closely guarded; but he
must have fetters on his feet, manacles on his wrists, and gag in his
mouth before I change my opinion."

"Why so obstinate, Ganimard?"

"Because Arsene Lupin is the only man in France of sufficient calibre to
invent and carry out a scheme of that magnitude."

"Mere words, Ganimard."

"But true ones. Look! What are they doing? Searching for subterranean
passages, stones swinging on pivots, and other nonsense of that kind.
But Lupin doesn't employ such old-fashioned methods. He is a modern
cracksman, right up to date."

"And how would you proceed?"

"I should ask your permission to spend an hour with him."

"In his cell?"

"Yes. During the return trip from America we became very friendly, and
I venture to say that if he can give me any information without
compromising himself he will not hesitate to save me from incurring
useless trouble."

It was shortly after noon when Ganimard entered the cell of Arsene
Lupin. The latter, who was lying on his bed, raised his head and uttered
a cry of apparent joy.

"Ah! This is a real surprise. My dear Ganimard, here!"

"Ganimard himself."

"In my chosen retreat, I have felt a desire for many things, but my
fondest wish was to receive you here."

"Very kind of you, I am sure."

"Not at all. You know I hold you in the