“We base our assertion that Dollon is alive, and consequently guilty, on material facts: we have found his signature attached to each of the crimes, and it is a signature which cannot be imitated by anyone.”

For his part, Fandor held it as certain that Jacques was dead.

“I maintain that, since fifty persons have seen Jacques Dollon dead, it is infinitely more likely that he is dead than that he is alive! The imprints of his fingers, his hand, are equally visible, it is true, and seem to prove that he is alive. But the conclusive nature of this test is nullified by the fact that, before the discovery of these imprints, before these imprints had been made, Jacques Dollon was dead!” And in his articles in La Capitale, Jérôme Fandor, with a persistency which finished by disconcerting even the most convinced partisans of the police contention, continued to maintain that Jacques Dollon was dead, dead as dead, and, to use his own expression, “as dead as it was possible for anyone to be dead”.

Jérôme Fandor had just rung the bell at the garden gate of Madame Bourrat’s private boarding-house in Auteuil.

Jules hastened to answer this ring, and was met by the question:

“Is Mademoiselle Elizabeth Dollon at home?”

“No, monsieur. She went out not an hour ago!”

“And you are certain she has not returned?”

“Absolutely, monsieur... There are two visitors waiting for her already.”

“She will be in soon, then?”

“Certainly, monsieur: she will not be long.” Fandor looked at his watch.

“A quarter-past ten... Very well, I will wait for her.”

“If monsieur will kindly follow me?”

Fandor was shown into the drawing-room. He had advanced only a step or two when he was greeted with:

“Why! Monsieur Fandor!”

“I am delighted to see you! “ cried Fandor, shaking hands with Monsieur Barbey and Monsieur Nanteuil. Both gave him a pleasant smile of welcome.

“You have come to see Mademoiselle Dollon, I suppose?”

“Yes. We have come to assure her that we will do all in our power to help her out of her terrible difficulties. She wrote to us a few days ago to ask if we would act as intermediaries regarding the sale of some of her unfortunate brother’s artworks, and also to see if we could get her a position in some dress-making establishment... We have come to assure her of our entire sympathy.”

“That is most kind of you! They told you, did they not, that she had gone out? I think she will not be absent long, for I have an appointment with her. But, if you will allow me, I will go to the office and ask if they have the least idea of which way she has gone, for I have little time to spare, and if we could go to meet her, it would save, at least, a few minutes.”