urderer. I place myself in
your hands. What do you suggest?"

Juve thought a moment.

For the time being Fandor was safe, but he was still very far from being
out of the woods.

"Monsieur Annion," he replied at length, "there is just one method of
procedure in this case. The assassination of Susy d'Orsel, the question
of this imposture, in fact all these mysterious points which have arisen
cannot be cleared up in Paris."

"What the devil do you mean, Juve?"

"I mean that in all probability the threads of this intrigue lead to
Hesse-Weimar, to the capital of the kingdom, to Glotzbourg. And, if you
have no objection, I will start for there this evening."

"Go, go," replied M. Annion; "perhaps you are right ... anyhow, don't
forget to take letters of introduction with you."

"Oh, don't worry about that. I can get all I want from my colleague."

"Your colleague?"

"Yes, from this excellent Wulf."

CHAPTER XII

CAMOUFLAGE

"Come in and sit down, Monsieur Wulfenmimenglaschk."

The Marquis de Serac led the way into his study.

He was a powerfully built, white-haired man, in the sixties, still
active, with a slightly tired voice, a typical man of the world in his
manners and dress.

Very embarrassed, Wulf bowed and bowed:

"I am confused, Monsieur. Quite confused ... I ..."

"Not at all, Monsieur Wulf; now take off your overcoat, sit down and
smoke a cigar. I assure you it's a great pleasure for me to talk to
anyone coming from Hesse-Weimar. I left the court when I was very young,
and I should be a stranger in Glotzbourg to-day; still I remember my
very good friends there ... but never mind that now, we have more
important subjects to discuss, Monsieur Wulf, and I'm sure you are in a
hurry."

"Oh, not at all; I am only too happy and too proud ..."

"Yes, yes, Paris is a city of temptations, and I won't take too much of
your time. First of all let me explain that I only received your letter
yesterday, as I happened to be out of town. You state that I am in a
position to render you a great service; this I shall be delighted to do
as soon as you tell me what it is."

Wulf began a long and rambling story to the effect that upon leaving
Glotzbourg for Paris, on his special mission to the King, he had
conceived the idea of writing to the Marquis de Serac, whom he knew to
be an intimate friend of the King, to give him a letter of introduction
to His Majesty.

"But now I don't need it," he ended, "f