"So, on Tuesday next, Altenheim and the Palace Hotel murderer have an appointment at Garches, in a house with the telephone number 38. On Tuesday, therefore, I shall hand over the two criminals to the police and set M. Lenormand at liberty. In the evening, it will be old Steinweg's turn; and I shall learn, at last, whether Pierre Leduc is the son of a pork-butcher or not and whether he will make a suitable husband for Geneviève. So be it!" * * * * * At eleven o'clock on Tuesday morning Valenglay, the prime minister, sent for the prefect of police and M. Weber, the deputy-chief of the detective-service, and showed them an express letter which he had just received: "MONSIEUR LE PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL, "Knowing the interest which you take in M. Lenormand, I am writing to inform you of certain facts which chance has revealed to me. "M. Lenormand is locked up in the cellars of the Villa des Glycines at Garches, near the House of Retreat. "The ruffians of the Palace Hotel have resolved to murder him at two o'clock to-day. "If the police require my assistance, they will find me at half-past one in the garden of the House of Retreat, or at the garden-house occupied by Mrs. Kesselbach, whose friend I have the honor to be. "I am, Monsieur le Président du Conseil, "Your obedient servant, "PRINCE SERNINE." "This is an exceedingly grave matter, my dear M. Weber," said Valenglay. "I may add that we can have every confidence in the accuracy of Prince Sernine's statements. I have often met him at dinner. He is a serious, intelligent man. . . ." "Will you allow me, Monsieur le Président," asked the deputy-chief detective, "to show you another letter which I also received this morning?" "About the same case?" "Yes." "Let me see it." He took the letter and read: "SIR, "This is to inform you that Prince Paul Sernine, who calls himself Mrs. Kesselbach's friend, is really Arsène Lupin. "One proof will be sufficient: _Paul Sernine_ is the anagram of _Arsène Lupin_. Not a letter more, not a letter less. "L. M." And M. Weber added, while Valenglay stood amazed: "This time, our friend Lupin has found an adversary who is a match for him. While he denounces the other, the other betrays him to us. And the fox is caught in the trap." "What do you propose to do?" "Monsieur le Président, I shall take two hundred men with me!" CHAPTER VIII THE OLIVE-GREEN FROCK-COAT A quarter past twelve, in a restaurant near the Madeleine. The prince is at lunch. Two young men sit down at the next table. He bows to them and begins to speak to them, as to friends whom he has met by chance. "Are you going on the expedition, eh?" "Yes." "How many men altogether?"