he muttered; "but I shall catch the first
train for those on leave."

* * * * *

Whilst Corporal Vinson was congratulating himself on the turn of
events, the agent remained in Fandor's flat, feeling as if he were
the victim of an abominable nightmare. No sooner had he hurriedly let
himself into the flat in order to escape the resident coming upstairs,
than he heard the bell ring: he felt desperate: "Who the devil was
it!" Assuredly not the unknown who had fled so mysteriously--"Who
then?"

When the bell rang a second time, the man cried: "What's to be done?"
Well, the best thing was to wait in the journalist's study: it was
more than probable that, not obtaining any response, the visitor would
go away!... This was not at all what happened.

With the same assurance which he himself had had a few minutes before,
the agent of the Second Bureau heard the new arrival slip his key into
the lock, open the door, close it as confidently as though he were
entering his own home; and now, yes, he was coming towards the study!

There was no light burning in Fandor's study: some gleams from the
gas-lamps in the street dimly illumined the room. The agent, who was
leaning with his elbow on the mantelpiece, could not clearly
distinguish the features of the person who now stood in the doorway.

It was certainly not the journalist. The intruder was a man of quite
forty; he wore a soft hat turned down at the edges, thus partially
concealing the upper half of his face, which was sunk in the raised
collar of an overcoat.

The intruder bowed slightly to the agent, then taking a few steps into
the room, went to the window, looked about outside. He seemed to be
someone on intimate terms with the master of the flat, and might be
going to await his return.

"He must be a friend of Jerome Fandor's," thought the agent. "He must
think the journalist will be here shortly, perhaps that he is actually
in the flat somewhere, and that I too am waiting for him." Evidently
the best thing to do was to stay where he was, and not to make any
remark which might attract attention.

Some minutes passed thus. Presently, the two men, tired with standing,
seated themselves.

"The old boy will get sick of waiting," thought the agent. "He will go
away, and I shall take my departure when he has cleared out."

But the new-comer, making himself very much at home, now relieved
himself of his greatcoat, removed his hat, and, h