"The head of the police!" I exclaimed.

Louis nodded.

"The most famous," he said, "whom France has ever possessed, Monsieur
Myers is absolutely marvellous," he declared. "The man has
genius,--genius as well as executive ability. It is a terrible war
that goes on between him and the _haute ecole_ of crime in this
country."

"Tell me, Louis," I asked, "is Monsieur Myers' visit here to-night
professional?"

"Monsieur has observation," Louis answered. "Why not?"

"You mean," I asked, "that there are criminals--people under
suspicion--"

"I mean," Louis interrupted, "that in this room, at the present
moment, are some of the most famous criminals in the world."

A question half framed died away upon my lips. Louis, however, divined
it.

"You were about to ask," he said, "how I obtained my entry
here. Monsieur, one had better not ask. It is one thing to be a
thief. It is quite another to see something of the wonderful life
which those live who are at war with society."

I looked around the room once more. Again I realized the difference