# Turn About explained — The Lone Wolf

> Chapter companion for The Lone Wolf by Louis Joseph Vance.

## What happens

Lanyard discovers the murdered body of Roddy and realizes the Pack has framed him for the crime. He swaps identities with the unconscious American agent 'Mr. Smith,' shaving off his moustache and exchanging clothes to make the corpse pass for himself. Lanyard then contemplates his escape from Paris, hampered by lack of funds and the surveillance of Popinot's men.

## Themes in this chapter

### Identity and Duality

Lanyard deliberately swaps identities with the dead American, embracing the Lone Wolf persona while discarding Michael Lanyard.

### Crime and Morality

Lanyard contemplates cold-blooded vengeance and uses the criminal's own narcotic against him, blurring moral lines.

### Fate and Chance

Lanyard's discovery of the resemblance in the mirror and the hypodermic syringe turn the tables on the Pack.

## Character check-ins

### Michael Lanyard

Discovers Roddy's murder, swaps identities with Smith, and plans his escape from Paris.

### Roddy

Found murdered in the adjoining room, his blood used to frame Lanyard.

### Mr. Mysterious Smith

The American agent knocked unconscious and injected with his own narcotic; Lanyard swaps clothes with him to fake his own death.

### Comte Remy de Morbihan

Implied to have been part of the plot to detain Lanyard at the Circle of Friends of Harmony.

### Popinot

His agents are surveilling the streets, confirming Lanyard's suspicion that escape will be difficult.

## Key lines

> Turn about is said to be fair play.

Lanyard decides to use the American's own narcotic syringe on him, reversing the intended roles.

_Reflects Lanyard's cunning and the theme of reversal._

> The insentient masquerader on the floor had called himself 'good-enough Smith'; he must serve now as good-enough Lanyard.

Lanyard plans to let the dead American be mistaken for himself by the police.

_Highlights the identity swap and Lanyard's strategic thinking._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lone_wolf_se/chapters/x-turn-about
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lone_wolf_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_lone_wolf_se/chapters