813

I. THE TRAGEDY AT THE PALACE HOTEL 3
II. THE BLUE-EDGED LABEL 31
III. M. LENORMAND OPENS HIS CAMPAIGN 55
IV. PRINCE SERNINE AT WORK 75
V. M. LENORMAND AT WORK 114
VI. M. LENORMAND SUCCUMBS 137
VII. PARBURY-RIBEIRA-ALTENHEIM 162
VIII. THE OLIVE-GREEN FROCK-COAT 192
IX. "SANTÉ PALACE" 219
X. LUPIN'S GREAT SCHEME 254
XI. CHARLEMAGNE 272
XII. THE EMPEROR'S LETTERS 291
XIII. THE SEVEN SCOUNDRELS 324
XIV. THE MAN IN BLACK 352
XV. THE MAP OF EUROPE 379
XVI. ARSÈNE LUPIN'S THREE MURDERS 405
EPILOGUE. THE SUICIDE 434





813

CHAPTER I

THE TRAGEDY AT THE PALACE HOTEL


Mr. Kesselbach stopped short on the threshold of the sitting-room, took
his secretary's arm and, in an anxious voice, whispered:

"Chapman, some one has been here again."

"Surely not, sir," protested the secretary. "You have just opened the
hall-door yourself; and the key never left your pocket while we were
lunching in the restaurant."

"Chapman, some one has been here again," Mr. Kesselbach repeated. He
pointed to a traveling-bag on the mantelpiece. "Look, I can prove it.
That bag was shut. It is now open."

Chapman protested.

"Are you quite sure that you shut it, sir? Besides, the bag contains
nothing but odds and ends of no value, articles of dress. . . ."