The mystery of the drama is the appearance of the finger-print of a dead artist upon the neck of Princess Sonia Danidoff, whom Fantomas, as Nanteuil, relieves of her pearl necklace, and again on the body of Thomery, a merchant also done to death by the arch villain. Fandor, in the pursuit of his railing, has endeavored to solve the mysteries of these crimes, and eventually recognizes Cranajour, an idiot in the employ of Mother Toulouch, a receiver of stolen goods, as inspector Juve, of the Criminal Investigation Department. They consult together and decide that Nanteuil, the banker, should be called upon. Already suspicious, when Juve finds a glove of skin upon his hand, suspicion becomes certainty, but before they are able to secure the villain, he backs through an unsuspected door in the wall of the room and once again escapes.