place. It was
there in any case that Susy d'Orsel had received her lover.

Nothing had been deranged. The table was still set for supper. Two
places, side by side, bore mute witness that the King had been alone
with his mistress.

Juve at first carefully examined the general lay of the room. The
disposition of the chairs, the two knives from the two forks, two fish
plates, all went to prove there had been only two persons at the table.

But suddenly he gave a start and his face expressed the keenest
interest. He dropped to his knees and carefully examined the floor under
the table.

"Unless I am dreaming there are ashes here."

Juve bent forward and noticed at the right of the sofa an ash receiver
placed near the edge of the table, and below on the carpet a small heap
of gray ash.

"To begin with, we'll admit that Susy d'Orsel flicked the ash off her
cigarette ... gray ash from Egyptian tobacco, a woman's cigarette."

He now moved to the left of the sofa.

"In the second place, here is another heap of ashes in this plate ...
cigar ashes ... in fact here is the tend showing a German brand.... So
the King was sitting on the right of Susy d'Orsel. Less careful, he used
his plate instead of an ash receiver."

Now bending down he noticed on the carpet a third heap of ash.

"A third person has been smoking here. For there is no reason why the
King should have changed his place and sat at the opposite side of the
table where no place is laid.... Also this third person, in smoking a
cigarette, and having no plate or ash receiver, dropped his ashes on the
carpet."

After a moment's thought Juve took from his pocket a small automatic
lighting arrangement and going on his hands and knees under the table
began a careful examination of its feet. In a moment he gave an
exclamation of joy.

"Ah, I have got it now. This is conclusive."

And in fact Juve had made a most important discovery. The heavy legs of
the table were joined by crosspieces and Juve had been able to determine
where Susy d'Orsel had rested her feet. He saw also the slight traces of
mud where the King had rested his feet. Most important, however, was the
fact that further traces of mud had been left by a third pair of feet.

"If only I could identify the feet that were placed here, and whether
they belonged to a woman."

A closer examination of the wood made him rise to his feet with a cry.
Quickly taking a chair, he placed it before the table in t