After prolonged efforts, Tom Bob at last succeeded in breaking the cord that confined his wrist; after that it was child’s play to free himself altogether. In a very few minutes he had released his arms, then his legs, had then cut off the ropes and snatched out his gag. Barely giving himself time to inhale a deep draught of air, he hurried to the unfortunate magistrate’s side and untied him; then, at the end of his strength, he fell full length on the floor at his feet. For many minutes, M. Fuselier and Tom Bob, now free, dared not risk a movement; half stifled both of them, dazed and stupefied, they could only pant for breath. M. Fuselier was the first to recover his self-possession. “Ah! Bob! Bob!” he groaned, “what a dreadful thing has happened to us!... Juve is surely done for!” In a hoarse voice, forcing the words with difficulty from his dry throat, Tom Bob protested: “Juve! d’you say Juve? But, Monsieur Fuselier, you are mad! You don’t understand yet?... Juve is just Fantômas!” “Nonsense, nonsense! if he was Fantômas the brigands would never have pinioned him as they did.” “Yes, they would, to put you on a false scent.” “But it was not worth their while, as he was free—I was going to let him go free.” “The wretches did not know that.” “He would have told them.” “Not before us!” M. Fuselier shook his head emphatically. “No, no,” he asseverated, “I tell you Juve is innocent.” “And I,” retorted Tom Bob, no less convinced it seemed, “I tell you the gang, thinking Juve, that is to say Fantômas, was definitely unmasked, resolved to deliver their Chief. They have delivered him and have so delivered him as to make you think they were treating him with brutal violence, merely the better to deceive you ...” M. Fuselier, suddenly recalling the words Juve had uttered a few hours before concerning Tom Bob, grew thoughtful and gazed at the detective with eyes of sheer bewilderment. CHAPTER XXVI JUVE HEARS CONFESSIONS Hoarse, croaking voices were whispering together: “Must get to work, half-past two ... day’ll be here directly ... hurry up, chaps ... to business!”