"Who's in charge of the house?" said M. Formery.

"The concierge, his wife, and a housekeeper--a woman named
Victoire," said the inspector.

"I'll see to the concierge and his wife presently. I've sent one of
your men round for their dossier. When I get it I'll question them.
You found them gagged and bound in their bedroom?"

"Yes, M. Formery; and always this imitation of Lupin--a yellow gag,
blue cords, and the motto, 'I take, therefore I am,' on a scrap of
cardboard--his usual bag of tricks."

"Then once again they're going to touch us up in the papers. It's
any odds on it," said M. Formery gloomily. "Where's the housekeeper?
I should like to see her."

"The fact is, we don't know where she is," said the inspector.

"You don't know where she is?" said M. Formery.

"We can't find her anywhere," said the inspector.

"That's excellent, excellent. We've found the accomplice," said M.
Formery with lively delight; and he rubbed his hands together. "At
least, we haven't found her, but we know her."

"I don't think that's the case," said the Duke. "At least, my future
father-in-law and my fiancee had both of them the greatest
confidence in her. Yesterday she telephoned to us at the Chateau de