iched by it!"

"Probably. That is not our concern. What we are after are details about
his disappearance. You are free to-day, are you not? Will you take the
affair in hand then? I would put off the appearance of the paper for
half an hour rather than not have details to report which would throw
some light on this extraordinary affair."

Then, as Fandor did not show the slightest intention of going in search
of material for a Thomery article, the secretary laughed.

"Why don't you start on the trail, Fandor?... My word, I don't recognise
a Fandor who is not off like a zigzag of lightning on such a reporting
job as this!... We want illuminating details, my dear man!"

"You think I haven't got any, then?... Be easy: this evening's issue of
_La Capitale_ will have all the details you could desire on the
vanishing of Thomery."

Thereupon, Fandor turned on his heel without further explanation, and
went towards one of his colleagues, who went by the title of "Financier
of the paper." The Financier had an official manner, and had an office
of his own, the walls of which were carefully padded, for Marville--that
was his name--frequently received visits from important personages.

Fandor began questioning him on the subject of Thomery's disappearance.

"Tell me, my dear fellow, what is happening in the financial world, now
that Thomery has disappeared."

"What do you mean?"

"Where is the money going--all the coppers?"

"The coppers?"

"Why, yes! I fancy that when an old fellow like that does the vanishing
trick, there are terrible results on the Bourse? Will you be kind
enough to explain what does happen in such a case?"

Very much flattered by Fandor's request, Marville cried:

"But, my boy, you are asking for nothing less than a course of political
economy--but I cannot do that--on the spur of the moment!... State
precisely what you want to know."

"What I want to know is just this: Who loses money through Thomery's
disappearance?"

The Financier raised his hands to Heaven.

"But everybody! Everybody!... Thomery was a daring fellow: without him
his business is nothing!... There was a big failure on the market
to-day."

"Good, but who gains by it?"

"How, who gains by it?"

"Yes. I presume Thomery's disappearance must be profitable to someone?
Can you think of any people to whose interest it would be that this old
fellow should disappear?"

The Financier reflected.

"Those who gain money by the disa