"If you ask me, I think he's humbug," said the Duke with conviction.
"Humbug! You always think it's humbug! You thought the letter was humbug; and look what has happened!" cried the millionaire.
"Give me the telegram, please," said M. Formery quickly.
The millionaire gave it to him; and he read it through.
"Find out who brought it, inspector," he said.
The inspector hurried to the top of the staircase and called to the policeman in charge of the front door. He came back to the drawing-room and said: "It was brought by an ordinary post-office messenger, sir."
"Where is he?" said M. Formery. "Why did you let him go?"
"Shall I send for him, sir?" said the inspector.
"No, no, it doesn't matter," said M. Formery; and, turning to M. Gournay-Martin and the Duke, he said, "Now we're really going to have trouble with Guerchard. He is going to muddle up everything. This telegram will be the last straw. Nothing will persuade him now that this is not Lupin's work. And just consider, gentlemen: if Lupin had come last night, and if he
