to his
chief, M. Annion. His first care must be to cover his own
responsibility in the matter.

M. Annion, cold and impassive, listened to his recital in silence and
then broke out:

"You have committed a blunder, M. Vicart. I told you this morning to put
a detective on the case who would bring us a report along the lines that
we desire. I pointed out to you the gravity of the situation."

"But ..." protested M. Vicart.

"Let me finish.... I thought I had made myself quite clear on that point
and now, you actually give the commission to Juve!"

"Exactly, Monsieur! I gave Juve the commission because he is our most
expert detective."

"That I don't deny, and therefore Juve is certain to discover the truth!
It is an unpardonable blunder."

At this moment a clerk entered with a telegram. M. Annion opened it
quickly and read it.

"Ah! this is enough to bring about the fall of the Ministry. Listen!"

"The Minister of Hesse-Weimar to the Secretary of the Interior, Place
Beauvau, Paris--Numerous telegrams addressed to his Majesty the King of
Hesse-Weimar, at present staying incognito at the Royal Palace Hotel,
Avenue des Champs Elysees, remain unanswered, in spite of their extreme
urgence. The Minister of Hesse-Weimar begs the Secretary of the Interior
of France to kindly make inquiries and to send him the assurance that
his Majesty the King of Hesse-Weimar is in possession of these
diplomatic telegrams."

M. Annion burst out.

"There now! Pretty soon they'll be accusing us of intercepting the
telegrams ... Frederick-Christian doesn't answer! How can I help that! I
suppose he's weeping over the death of his mistress. And now that fellow
Juve has taken a hand in it! I tell you. Monsieur Vicart, we're in a
nice fix!"

While M. Annion was unburdening his mind to M. Vicart, Juve left the
Ministry whistling a march, and hailed a cab to take him to the Rue
Monceau.

He quite understood what was required of him, but his professional
pride, his independence and his innate honesty of purpose determined him
to ferret out the truth regardless of consequences.

As a matter of fact, the presence of the King in Paris was, in part, to
render a service to Juve himself.[2]

[Footnote 2: See "Fantomas," Vols. I, II, III, IV.]

If, therefore, the hypothesis of suicide could be verified, Juve would
be able to be of use to the King; if, on the other hand, it had to be
rejected, his report would prove that fact.

On arriving