ed beyond doubt. The hand of Fantomas
was everywhere apparent. His carefully laid plan to get possession of
the King's diamond unquestionably involved the arrest of the King by the
French authorities for the murder of his mistress.

It was now their difficult task, first to recover the jewel and then
capture the bandit. Two points still remained to be cleared up. What
role had Marie Pascal played in the affair? Was she innocent or an
accomplice? And had Lady Beltham intended to save Juve or had she
intended to save Fantomas?

It was finally arranged that Juve should go to the America Hotel and
call on the pseudo Grand Duchess Alexandra, and that Fandor should see
Marie Pascal. They were about to put this project into execution when a
loud knocking at the door startled them.

Fandor sprang forward, but the detective quickly thrust him into the
bedroom, and opened the door himself.

"You here, Wulf!"

"As you see."

The absurd officer marched into the apartment with an air of great
satisfaction.

"Well, Monsieur Juve, and what do you think of my detective instinct?"

"I don't understand."

"Ah, you thought you'd got rid of me at the Sud-Nord Station, didn't
you, but I fooled you. I arrived at the scene of the explosion at the
precise moment you were giving an address to the chauffeur and carrying
away a body."

"A body ... in pretty good health!"

"Furthermore, I came across some one you were looking for, I think."

"Fantomas?"

"No, not Fantomas, but the Primitive Man, generally called Ouaouaoua."

"And you let him go?"

"Oh, I let him go all right, but not before he gave me his address."

Juve smiled grimly.

"A nice mess you've made of it!"

Wulf continued with an air of great importance:

"I can tell you something else, the King returns to Glotzbourg to-night,
but before he goes we shall have the guilty person arrested."

A slight noise made Wulf turn his head and then give a loud cry.

Fandor had entered the room.

"Good God! Who is that?... the King?... No, it's not the King ... help!
help!"

Wulf cast frightened glances to right and left and then made a dive for
the door, slamming it behind him as he rushed out:

"I knew he was a fool," exclaimed Juve, "but I didn't know he was crazy
besides. And to think he had Fantomas in his hands and let him go!"

The two men now reverted to their interrupted project and decided to pay
their respective visits to Marie Pascal and Lady Beltham.