Doubtless convinced by this reasoning, Doctor Chaleck decided at length to open his door. "What do you want with me?" he repeated. Juve quickly explained matters. "We've just had a telephone message to say that some ruffians, possibly murderers, are in your house." "Murderers!" cried Chaleck in amazement. "But whom could they murder? I'm living here alone." At this assertion, Juve, Fandor and Michel looked at each other, mystified. "Well, in any case we must search your house from top to bottom," said Juve, and added as an afterthought: "I suppose you are thoroughly satisfied that we come with honest intentions?" Doctor Chaleck smiled: "Oh! Inspector Juve's features are very well known to me, and I place myself entirely at his disposition." The three men, led by Chaleck, ransacked all the rooms on the ground floor; finding nothing suspicious, they then went up to the floor above. "I have only three more rooms to show you, gentlemen," said the doctor. "My bathroom, my bedroom and my study." The bathroom disclosed nothing of interest, and Chaleck, throwing open the door of another room, announced, "My study." Scarcely had Fandor set foot in the study, from which he and Juve had so recently made their escape, when a cry burst from his lips: "Good God! How horrible!" The apartment was in the greatest disorder. Overturned chairs bore witness to a violent struggle. One of the mahogany panels of the desk had been partly smashed in. A window curtain was torn and hanging, and the small gas stove was broken. Fandor, at the first glance, saw what appeared to be a long trail of blood, extending from the window to the desk. Stepping forward quickly, he discovered the body of a woman frightfully crushed and covered with blood. "Dead some time," cried Fandor. "The body is cold and the blood already congealed." Juve tranquilly examined the room, and took in its tragic horror. "The telephone apparatus is overturned," he muttered to himself. "There has been a struggle between the victim and the murderer. Ah!--theft was the object of the crime." "Theft!" cried Doctor Chaleck, coming forward. "Look, doctor, your safe has been overturned, broken in and ransacked," answered Juve, as he and Fandor cautiously lifted the woman. The body was a mass of contusions and appeared to be one large wound. Juve turned to the doctor, who, livid with consternation, was holding up a small grey linen bag which had contained his bonds. "Come, doctor, calm yourself and give us some information. Can you make anything of it?" "Nothing! nothing! I heard nothing. Who is this woman? I don't know her!" Fandor pointed to a small shoe lying in a corner. "A fashionable woman," he said. "Quite so," was Juve's reply, and putting his hands on Chaleck's shoulders he inquired: "A friend of yours, a mistress, eh? Come now, don't deny it."