here's a pretty girl."

He was right. She was charming, with her large clear blue eyes, her fair
hair and slight figure.

"By Jove," thought Fandor, "here's a way to fill up my hours of
solitude. It oughtn't to be hard for one in my position to get up an
intrigue, and provided the lady is not too shy I can begin one of those
adventures one reads of in fairy stories."

Covering his face still further with his scarf and putting on a pair of
blue spectacles he entered the Salon. The young girl betrayed a slight
movement of surprise upon seeing him. At his silent invitation she sat
down on the edge of an armchair without daring to raise her eyes. Then
followed a long pause, until Fandor recollected that according to
etiquette she was waiting for him to speak first.

"Well, Mademoiselle, what can I do for you?"

The young girl stammered: "I wanted to see you ... pardon ... to see
your Majesty ... to tell him how grateful I am for the laces he ordered
from me ... that your Majesty ordered."

Fandor began to be amused at the embarrassment of the young girl, so to
set her at ease he remarked:

"Mademoiselle, just talk to me as you would to anyone else, and as for
the laces, I shall be very glad to order others."

A start of surprise from Marie Pascal gave Fandor the uneasy feeling
that he had made a break.

"Then, your Majesty, I suppose I must send the next lot to the Queen."

"Of course."

"How about the bill?"

Fandor repressed a smile. Evidently these poor Kings must have one hand
in their pockets. As the interview continued the young girl regained her
confidence, and going close to Fandor, spoke in a tone of sincere
anxiety:

"Sire, it was not you ... oh, forgive me." And then in a lower tone: "I
have denounced you, Sire."

Then, dropping to her knees, Marie Pascal repeated all that had
happened. Fandor now realized that the death of Susy d'Orsel had a
witness and that a detective was now in possession of the facts.

"And this detective! Is he tall, broad shouldered, about forty-five,
with gray hair and clean shaven?"

The young girl was astonished at the accuracy of the portrait.

"Why, yes, Sire ... your Majesty is right."

"It can be no other than Juve," thought Fandor joyfully. Then turning to
Marie Pascal, "Now you must answer truthfully the question I am going to
ask you. Will you tell me why, after accusing me of this dreadful crime,
you have suddenly changed your opinion and come to tell me h