authorize me--"

He had not finished speaking when the Prefect's private secretary entered
with a visiting-card in his hand.

"Monsieur le Préfet, this caller was so persistent.... I hesitated--"

M. Desmalions took the card and uttered an exclamation of mingled
surprise and joy.

"Look, Monsieur," he said to Perenna.

And he handed him the card.

_Hippolyte Fauville,
Civil Engineer.
14 bis Boulevard Suchet._

"Come," said M. Desmalions, "chance is favouring us. If this M. Fauville
is one of the Roussel heirs, our task becomes very much easier."

"In any case, Monsieur le Préfet," the solicitor interposed, "I must
remind you that one of the clauses of the will stipulates that it shall
not be read until forty-eight hours have elapsed. M. Fauville, therefore,
must not be informed--"

The door was pushed open and a man hustled the messenger aside and
rushed in.

"Inspector ... Inspector Vérot?" he spluttered. "He's dead, isn't he? I