"You are talking nonsense," replied Juve. "But," protested the other, "we arrived punctually at the place appointed, and most assuredly nothing happened there." "We were punctual, it is true, but so was Loupart. Josephine's letter gave us two items of information: That her lover would be at Doctor Chaleck's house and that he would rob the safe. Events have proved her correct in one case. As to the second, while he did not break open the safe, nothing proves that he had not that intention. He may have been frustrated by the unexpected appearance of Doctor Chaleck, or he may have discovered that we were following him." At this moment Fandor pointed out to Juve three men who were running toward them, violently gesticulating. "What does that mean?" he asked. Before Juve could reply one of the men, much out of breath, inquired: "Well, chief!" "Why, it's Michel and Henri and Léon!" Then, turning to Fandor, he explained: "Three inspectors." Michel repeated the question: "Well, chief, what's up?" "What do you mean?" "You've just come from the Cité Frochot, chief?" Juve was amazed. "Look here," he said, "where do you come from, Michel? The Prefecture?" "No, chief, from the head office of No. IX." "Then how do you know we were at the Cité Frochot?" Taken aback, Michel replied: "Why, from seeing you here, after the affair." "What affair?" insisted Juve. "Well, chief, it's this way. The three of us were on duty this morning at the Rue Rochefoucauld Station. About twenty minutes ago the telephone rang and I heard a woman asking in a broken and choked voice if it was the police station. On my answering it was, she begged me to come to the rescue, crying, 'Murder! I'm dying!'" "What then?" questioned Juve. "Then I asked who was speaking, but unfortunately Central had cut me off." "You made inquiries?" "Yes, chief, and after a quarter of an hour Central told me that only one subscriber had called up the police station, the number being 928-12, name of Doctor Chaleck in the Cité Frochot." "I suppose you asked for the number again?" "I did, but I could get no reply." After a pause, during which Juve was lost in thought, the officer added timidly: "We'd better hurry if a crime has been committed." Juve beckoned Michel to him. "There are too many of us," he said. "You come along, Michel; the other two must go back to the station and be ready to join us in case of need." The two officers and Fandor went hurriedly up the Rue Pigalle and came to a halt by Doctor Chaleck's door. A loud ringing brought no reply. It was repeated, and finally a voice cried: "Who is there; what's the matter?" "Open," ordered Juve. "To whom do you wish to speak?" "To Doctor Chaleck." And Juve added: "Open, it's the police." "The police! What the deuce do they want with me?" "You'll soon find out," answered Michel. "Do you suppose we'd be making this row if we were criminals?"