“Assassination of the Minister of Justice.”
Below this again, figured the cryptic headline:
“Will he arrest Fantômas?”
“That question, M. Havard,” slyly suggested M. Casamajols, “is probably addressed to you.” The head of the Criminal Investigation Department made no reply, but with pursed lips, ran his eye rapidly over the detailed account of Ferrand’s death, though without learning anything he did not know already, and then went on to the article he believed, like M. Casamajols, to specially concern himself. But as he read on, M. Havard was lost in deeper and deeper wonderment. The article in question ran as follows:
“From mid-Atlantic, from aboard the liner ‘La Lorraine’ which sailed the day before yesterday from New York, bound for Hâvre, comes the information by wireless that the American detective, Tom Bob, a passenger on the vessel in question, strongly and justly moved by the daring acts of violence committed of late in Paris, has announced his intention to devote all his time and all his energy, from the first moment of his arrival in Europe, to the discovery and arrest of Fantômas.”
The writer concluded the article with the words: “Let us wish Tom Bob every good luck, but will he arrest Fantômas?”
M. Havard and M. Casamajols looked at each other completely at a loss.
“Do you suppose it is serious, this story?” asked the latter; “surely it must be a newspaper canard ... very American, too American ... I don’t believe it, do you?”
“Egad!” confessed M. Havard, very much put out, “I am bound to allow that this Tom Bob exists, and even that he enjoys a certain reputation in the New York police force, but then, to advertise himself like that, really!”
M. Casamajols suggested with a smile of irony: