"What sort of a man is M. Formery? Is he capable?" said the Duke.

"Oh, yes--yes. He's very capable," said the inspector quickly. "But
he doesn't have very good luck."

"M. Gournay-Martin particularly asked me to send for Guerchard if I
arrived too late, and found the burglary already committed," said
the Duke. "It seems that there is war to the knife between Guerchard
and this Arsene Lupin. In that case Guerchard will leave no stone
unturned to catch the rascal and recover the stolen treasures. M.
Gournay-Martin felt that Guerchard was the man for this piece of
work very strongly indeed."

"Very good, your Grace," said the inspector. And he rang up the
Prefecture of Police.

The Duke heard him report the crime and ask that Guerchard should be
sent. The official in charge at the moment seemed to make some
demur.

The Duke sprang to his feet, and said in an anxious tone, "Perhaps
I'd better speak to him myself,"

He took his place at the telephone and said, "I am the Duke of
Charmerace. M. Gournay-Martin begged me to secure the services of M.
Guerchard. He laid the greatest stress on my securing them, if on
reaching Paris I found that the crime had already been committed."

The official at the other end of the line hesitated. He did not
refuse on the instant as he had refused the inspector. It may be