if you please?"

Juve avoided a direct reply. He asked:

"Upon what do you place this supposed imposture?"

M. Annion took up the papers before him.

"I have the evidence here before me. But first I must tell you how our
suspicions became aroused.... This morning, after your departure, we
received a telegram from Hesse-Weimar inquiring why Frederick-Christian
did not reply to the telegram sent him from his kingdom.... That gave me
an inkling of what was going on.... I sent to the Royal Palace Hotel and
there my two detectives learned that Frederick-Christian had gained the
reputation of being extremely odd, in fact, half crazy. Furthermore,
that he was acting in a manner totally different from that of former
occasions. He now scarcely moves from his room, whereas previously he
spent most of his time out of doors."

M. Annion handed Juve the documents and begged him to look them over
himself. After returning them Juve realized that his best chance would
be to gain time.

"This is going to cause a great deal of trouble. If an impostor is
really installed in the Royal Palace Hotel we shall have to notify the
Chancellor and ask for the authorization to verify ... In other words, a
number of tiresome formalities will have to be complied with."

"Wait a minute, I have more surprises for you. We now have the press on
our trail. All the evening papers publish articles inferring the guilt
of the King.... They come out boldly accusing him of murder. Would you
believe that at seven o'clock this evening there was a shouting, howling
mob in front of the Royal Palace? And so, my dear Juve, you had better
take two men with you, and without delay go to the hotel and arrest the
man who is passing for the King, and who is, besides, the murderer of
Susy d'Orsel."

This is what Juve feared; he determined to make every effort to prevent
the arrest of Fandor.

"All this is very well, but I think you will agree with me that it is a
romance, Monsieur Annion."

"May I ask why you think that?"

"Certainly, Monsieur Annion.

"You intend to arrest the false King because he is accused by the public
of murder.... If he were the real King, would you be willing to arrest
him without further proof?"

"No ... naturally not ... but then he is an impostor, so that won't
worry me."

"Very good, Monsieur Annion, and now, suppose you have guessed wrong?
After all, you are basing your conclusion upon a number of minor
details, upon the obs