Chapter 56

But Desroques was too quick for him. Before the detective could bar the way, he had darted into the adjoining room and slammed the door behind him. There was a policeman on guard in the anteroom into which he had fled. When Béchoux and the others got the door open, this man had Desroques pinned on the floor. Immediately Béchoux searched his prisoner. He turned out the man’s pockets, made him take off his shoes and socks. But the unmounted photograph had disappeared! The window was tightly shut and there was no fire…