. We should have found
out long ago who she was if she had been a wrong 'un. And Ganimard also
swears that when he arrested Lupin on board the Provence some woman,
some ordinary, honest woman among the passengers, carried away Lady
Garland's jewels, which he had stolen and was bringing to America, and
along with them a matter of eight hundred pounds which he had stolen
from a fellow-passenger on the voyage."

"That power of fascination which some men exercise on women is one of
those mysteries which science should investigate before it does
anything else," said the Duke, in a reflective tone. "Now I come to
think of it, I had much better have spent my time on that investigation
than on that tedious journey to the South Pole. All the same, I'm
deucedly sorry for that woman, Victoire. She looks such a good soul."

Guerchard shrugged his shoulders: "The prisons are full of good souls,"
he said, with cynical wisdom born of experience. "They get caught so
much more often than the bad."

"It seems rather mean of Lupin to make use of women like this, and get
them into trouble," said the Duke.

"But he doesn't," said Guerchard quickly. "At least he hasn't up to
now. This Victoire is the first we've caught. I look on it as a good
omen."

He walked across the room, picked up his cloak, and took a card-case
from the inner pocket of it. "If you don't mind, your Grace, I want you
to show this permit to my men who are keeping the door, whenever you go
out of the house. It's just a formality; but I attach considerable
importance to it, for I really ought not to make exceptions in favour
of any one. I have two men at the door, and they have orders to let
nobody out without my written permission. Of course M. Gournay-Martin's
guests are different. Bonavent has orders to pass them out. And, if
your Grace doesn't mind, it will help me. If you carry a permit, no one
else will dream of complaining of having to do so."

"Oh, I don't mind, if it's of any help to you," said the Duke
cheerfully.

"Thank you," said Guerchard. And he wrote on his card and handed it to
the Duke.

The Duke took it and looked at it. On it was written:

"Pass the Duke of Charmerace."

"J. GUERCHARD."

"It's quite military," said the Duke, putting the card into his
waistcoat pocket.

There came a knock at the door, and a tall, thin, bearded man came into
the room.

"Ah, Dieusy! At last! What news?" cried Guerchard.

Dieusy saluted: "I've