"Why, of course, Fantômas killed Lady Beltham, and killed her in the house of Doctor Chaleck, an accomplice. And Loupart, a third accomplice, got his mistress to write to me, and I believed the denunciation. Loupart got us to dog him, led me unawares behind the curtains in the study, and made me witness that Chaleck was innocent. Oh, the ruse was a clever one. Josephine herself, by the two shots she received some days later at Lâriboisière, became a victim. In short, the scent was crossed and broken." The detective snatched up his hat, saw carefully to the charges of his pocket revolver, then gravely and solemnly cried: "It is you and I now, Fantômas!" with which he left his rooms. * * * * * Juve and Fandor were entering a taxi-cab. "To Neuilly Church," cried Juve to the driver. "And, now, my dear Fandor, you must be thinking me crazy, as less than two hours ago I sent you off to write an article, and here I come taking you from your paper and carrying you away in this headlong fashion. But just listen to the tale of this morning's doings." Juve then gave a full account of Maître Gérin's visit and wound up by saying: "It is through Lady Beltham that we must unearth that monster, Fantômas." "That's all very well," replied Fandor, "but as the lady is dead, how are we going to set about it?" "By reconstructing the last hours of her life. We are now on our way to Lady Beltham's residence, Boulevard Inkermann." "And what are we to do when we arrive there?" "I shall examine the house, which is probably empty, and you are to 'pump' the neighbours, to ask questions of the tradespeople. I should attract too much attention if I were to do this myself, and that is why I dragged you away from your work." Some moments later the taxi pulled up at the corner of Boulevard Inkermann. "The house is number--" said Juve as he took Fandor by the arm. "Bless me, you remember the house! It is the one in which I arrested Gurn three years ago; that famous day he came to see Lady Beltham, disguised as a beggar." The two friends soon found themselves at their destination. Through the garden railing, which was wholly covered with a dense growth of ivy, the two saw the house, which now looked very dilapidated. "It doesn't look as if it had been inhabited for a long while," said Fandor. "That's what we want to make sure of. Go and make your inquiries." Fandor left his companion and made his way back to the commercial section of Neuilly. He stopped opposite a sign which read: "Gardening done." "Anyone there?" he inquired. An old woman, standing in the doorway, came forward. "What can I do for you, sir?" "If I am not mistaken, it was you who attended to Lady Beltham's garden?" "Yes, sir, we kept her garden in order. But my husband hasn't worked there for several months, as Lady Beltham has been away." "I heard she was coming back to Paris, and called to-day, but found the house closed up."