Arsène Lupin had just finished eating and was feeling very pleased with himself. He took an expensive cigar from his pocket and started to examine it carefully. Just as he was about to remove the gold band around the cigar, his cell door opened. Lupin deftly tossed the cigar into a drawer while he moved forward to welcome his visitor with a warm smile.
"I am ready for my daily exercise, dear boy," Lupin said to a guard waiting by the cell door.
After the guard had led Lupin outside, two men entered the prisoner’s cell. One man was Inspector Dieuzy; the other was Inspector Folenfant.
"What are we searching for again?" asked Dieuzy.
"Any evidence that Lupin has been communicating with someone outside the prison," replied Folenfant. On the previous evening, a well-known Paris newspaper had published these words addressed to the reporter covering Lupin’s court case:
Monsieur:
Your recent news story depicted me in a most unfavorable way. A few days before my trial, I will make you sorry for what you wrote.
Arsène Lupin
Clearly the letter had been written and signed by Arsène Lupin. Yet prisoners at the Santé Prison were forbidden to have contact with the outside, even through letters.
"It’s obvious Lupin is arrogantly announcing that he plans to escape━and in the newspaper!" Monsieur Dudouis, the chief of the Paris police, had shouted. "This does not reflect well on the prison." He pointed to the two inspectors. "Tomorrow you will search his cell."
So Dieuzy and Folenfant were now checking the bed linens, the cracks in the walls and the ceiling, and even the toilet. They were about to give up when Dudouis appeared.
"Well?" said the police chief, quietly making his presence known.
"We found nothing, sir," answered Dieuzy.
"Wait a minute," said Folenfant suddenly. "I remember Lupin shutting that drawer just before the guard led him outside."
"Well, let’s see," said Dudouis, opening the drawer. He pulled out a stack of newspaper clippings that all related to Lupin. Some text was underlined and a few words were circled.
"Perhaps this is some secret code," mused Dudouis. "Anything else?"
"Just this cigar, sir," replied Folenfant, picking it up and handing it over to his superior.
"Where did he get this?" demanded Dudouis.
"It must have come with his breakfast, sir," said Folenfant.
"Our friend Lupin has excellent taste," noted Dudouis, examining the gold band. Then he gently squeezed the cigar next to his ear to test its quality. "A good cigar should crackle a bit," he explained. But the cigar was flexible and made no sound. Upon further inspection the police chief noticed something white between the tobacco leaves. Delicately, with the aid of a toothpick he took from his pocket, Dudouis carefully removed a piece of very thin paper. He unrolled it and read: The basket has taken the place of the others. Eight out of ten are ready now. Press the outer foot on the plate and push downward. From 12 to 16 every day, H-P will wait. But where? Reply immediately. Don’t worry; your friend is here.
Dudouis pondered the cryptic words. "Basket? I think I know what that means, and ‘12 to 16’ must mean from noon until four o’clock," he said.
"A very astute observation, sir," said Folenfant.
"Lupin is definitely making plans to escape, sir," said Dieuzy. "But who or what is H-P?"
"I don’t know," Dudouis replied and then added, "Apparently the prisoner has not read this message yet, as we can tell from the condition of the cigar."
"How did he get this message?" asked Dieuzy.
"They must come hidden in his meals," explained Dudouis. "This must be the way he communicates with whoever is helping him from outside."
The police chief replaced the cigar with one of his own and carefully hid the note in it. "We will wait to see how Lupin replies," he said with a sharp glint in his eye. Then the three men left the cell.
That evening Lupin finished his meal and a guard retrieved his tray. Just outside the cell, however, Folenfant intercepted it and took it to Dudouis.
"Check everything," the police chief ordered. "Lupin’s reply will be here somewhere."
They examined the dishes, the tray, and the utensils. Suddenly Dudouis let out a cry of joy. Inside the wooden handle of the knife was a piece of paper. It read simply: Make sure that H-P follows at a distance every day. I will go ahead. Thank you, dear friend.
"At last!" cried Monsieur Dudouis gleefully. "We have him! A little strategy on our part, and we will catch not only Arsène Lupin, but his associates as well."
The police chief grabbed Folenfant’s hands, and they danced around the room.
For several months Arsène Lupin had been transported weekly to appear before Judge Bouvier, who was overseeing his case. One day the famous prisoner ignored his own lawyer and comically confessed to every charge against him: burglaries in a dozen neighborhoods, counterfeiting, and a bank robbery. "I confess I did everything, and there is ten times as much that you know nothing about," said Lupin.
Frustrated by Lupin’s arrogance, the judge refused to see the thief again until he agreed to get serious about his upcoming trial. But when Dudouis showed the judge Lupin’s secret messages, Bouvier exploded in anger.
"Bring that man back into my court!" the judge roared. "Monsieur Dudouis, I solemnly order you to do whatever is necessary to prevent his escape!"
"As you wish, Judge," said Dudouis.
"Starting tomorrow," continued Bouvier, "I want to see Lupin every day until he tells me what I want to know." The two men shook hands.
So Lupin was taken to the judge every day with the other prisoners. All prisoners going to the courthouse were transported in the morning in horse-drawn police vans. These vans were nicknamed salad baskets because each van was divided into ten small cells, or baskets, five on each side. These cells, one for every prisoner, were constructed with iron bars, and riding in them was very uncomfortable. The prisoners usually left the courthouse after lunch and returned to Santé Prison between three and four, but one afternoon a decision was made to take Arsène Lupin back to the prison alone since the other prisoners had been delayed in court.
"Choose any seat you like," said the guard to Lupin, laughing. Then the guard shut the door and climbed up into the driver’s seat.
Once inside the van, Lupin moved to the third cell on his right and sat down. Soon the van began to move.
"Where is that plate?" Lupin whispered to himself. He searched the floor with his right foot. "Ah, here it is. Now I press down on it . . ." The plate opened to reveal the street going by and two of the van’s wheels. Suddenly the van stopped. Loud, angry voices erupted from outside━a sick horse was blocking traffic, including another police van. Lupin took that moment to squeeze out of the hole in the bottom of the van and leap to the ground. He was free!
Looking around, Lupin saw that two wagons had collided and angry drivers were about to come to blows. A block away a coachman saw Lupin drop out of the prison van and start to run. The coachman tried to alert the guard, but his voice was drowned out by the street noise.
Lupin turned back, waved, and then saluted before disappearing into the crowd.