"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 the place that might naturally be occupied by a third guest, and then sat down. This is what he discovered. It was quite impossible for a woman to have been sitting there. Having stretched his legs and rested his feet upon the traces of mud, he discovered that one of the legs of the table came directly between his knees. A woman's skirt would have made this position impossible for her. "Why, the King was telling the truth! There were three persons in this dining-room a few moments before the crime was committed. And they were Susy d'Orsel, the King and another man." Juve now threw himself into an armchair and remained buried in thought. "To sum it up, the King alone is in a position to give me further information.... And if he should refuse to speak or should attempt to lie I have now within my hands the means of forcing him to tell the truth." He sprang up quickly. "The next thing to do is to go and see the King." CHAPTER X WULFENMIMENGLASCHK Wulfenmimenglaschk! Fandor stared in consternation at the individual who had just entered the apartment of Frederick-Christian II. He was enormously fat and absurd looking. A large red nose stood out between two little blinking eyes; a heavy moustache bushed above his three well-defined chins. In his hand he held a soft green hat, through the ribbon of which was stuck a feather. He wore a wide leather belt containing cartridge cases, and the butts of two revolvers peeped out of his pockets. The man began once more. "Wulfen ..." Fandor stopped him with a movement of impatience. "Won't you please speak French, so long as we are in France?" For the twenty-fifth time this strange individual repeated the phrase which apparently meant his name and added in French: "Head of the Secret Service of the Kingdom of Hesse-Weimar and Attache of your Majesty."