de Serac's apartment. Hence the Marquis de Serac
was Fantomas.

CHAPTER XXVII

THE EXPLOSION OF THE NORD-SUD

The Empire clock on Juve's desk struck half-past eleven. The detective,
having gone over in his mind the course of events just narrated, rose
abruptly and tapped Wulf on the shoulder.

"Monsieur Wulf, if you are to remain here you are very welcome to do so;
as for me, I'm going out."

Wulf, wakened out of a doze, sat up and stared at Juve, an expression of
dawning suspicion in his eyes.

"Where are you going?" he inquired.

Juve, absorbed in his thoughts, did not remark the strange behavior of
his colleague. He had settled on a plan of action, which was simply to
arrest the Marquis de Serac.

"Oh, I'm just going ... for a walk."

"All right, get your hat."

A few moments later the two men hailed a taxi and drove to 247 Rue de
Monceau.

During the trip Juve pumped Wulf about his relations with Fandor, and it
appeared that the latter had pursued the policy of making Wulf drunk
upon every occasion. Doubtless, the detective reasoned, it was thus
that Fandor was enabled to escape for an hour, during which time the
substitution had been effected. Wulf explained how he had found the King
near the fountains in the Place de la Concorde, and Juve realized that
in some way or other the King and the fountains were mysteriously
connected.

In his turn, Wulf plied Juve with questions as to what he had done
during his stay at Glotzbourg.

What sort of welcome had he received from M. Heberlauf?

How had the arrest of Fantomas been effected?

How had the monster died?

The detective, naturally, had no intention of enlightening Wulf as to
the truth.

He therefore answered in monosyllables, annoyed by the turn the
conversation had taken. In fact, as the questions became more pressing,
it flashed through Juve's mind that the stupid officer was actually
beginning to suspect him of being Fantomas. As the taxi neared its
destination Juve suddenly put his head out of the window and cried with
an oath to the chauffeur:

"Follow that automobile which is just starting and don't lose sight of
it!"

Wulf turned inquiringly:

"It's the Marquis de Serac."

"Well, what of it?"

"Why, is he the man we are after?" Then turning again to the chauffeur:

"Have you plenty of gasoline?"

"Enough to run a hundred miles, Monsieur."

The chase began at the Boulevard de Courcelles, continued through the
Place