"What a fool I am!... the murder of Susy d'Orsel, the imprisonment of the King, are both the work of Fantomas! Fantomas must have known this hiding place a long time ago.... It was he who tried the experiment of making the statues sing to find out whether the sound could be heard above.... And to think that this monster has been arrested by Juve! And without me, too!... I shall have only the glory of showing up a few of his accomplices, and if they don't come in two or three days, why, I shall clear out." Fandor rose and went toward the base of the naiad. "It's still dark. I might just as well get a breath of fresh air." With a gymnastic leap, the journalist reached the body of the statue and switched on his electric light. He made a horrible discovery. To reach the King he had maneuvered the statue from the outside. He realized now that it was impossible to open it from the inside. In his daring folly he had shut himself in and possibly condemned himself to the most terrible torture. Now he began a struggle to regain his liberty. He tore his fingers and broke his nails in vain despairing efforts ... at length he gave up, beaten. He was irrevocably a prisoner. When he realized his situation he sank to the ground, a cry escaping his lips: "Juve! Juve! If only Juve finds my letter. If only he comes to save me!" CHAPTER XX FREDERICK-CHRISTIAN "Another drink, Monsieur Louis?" "I think I've had about enough." "No, no ... this is my turn to treat." "Well, since you put it that way, Monsieur Wulf, I can't refuse." "Besides," added the barkeeper, "this is some very special vermouth, only served to old clients." "Ah," laughed Wulf, "I hope we're included in that category, for you certainly have no better client than myself." "Excuse me," replied the barkeeper, smiling, "we have one, your boss, Monsieur Wulf, the King Frederick-Christian.... And while he doesn't always finish his drinks he always pays for them." "And that's the important thing," added M. Louis. It was about ten in the morning, and in the bar of the Royal Palace, deserted at this early hour, were M. Louis, Major-domo of the hotel, Wulf, and the barkeeper, who in his turn offered a round of drinks on the house. As the glasses were being filled, the telephone rang to say that his Majesty wanted to see Wulf. "That's all right," replied Wulf condescendingly, "I'll be along by and by." After several more vermouths, Wulf grew expansive: "Do you know, Monsieur Louis, that I've actually saved the King's life twice in five days!" "Pretty good work," commented M. Louis, politely. "The first time was the day after my arrival in Paris. Your Government wanted to kick up a fuss over the death of the King's little sweetheart; in fact, they went so far as to talk of his arrest." Wulf stopped suddenly, alarmed: