The Rome Express

arly man, and he paid a first

under his arm he carried the regulation portfolio, or lawyer's bag, stuffed full of reports, dispositions, and documents dealing with cases in hand. He was altogether a very precise and natty little personage, quiet and unpretending in demeanour, with a m

kept carefully sorted by lots each in an old copy of the Figaro, when he was called to the telephone. His

in the sleeper. All the passengers held

ied by Galipaud and Block, the two first inspectors fo

e officials, who gave him a brief outline of the facts, so far as t

been detained?" ask

he sleeping

until you had taken their names and addresses. Wh

ted presumably while the train was in motion,

e Chief snappishly. "Well, show me the train c

ot be fo

er it at the end of the journey to his superiors, and

there is somethi

cur without his knowledge. If he was doing his duty-un

ill the end of the journey. After the catastrophe, however, he was una

ivate room close to the other-where the prisoners, those held on suspicion, are? It will be

d as a preliminary of the first importance, taking precedence even of the examination o

o years of age, born at Amsterdam, looked such a sluggish, slouc

ou always like thi

t before him with lack-lustre e

ible?" he said, and in vague reply to

g between Laroche a

slept. I was very drowsy. I had been up two nights; but so it i

erstood. "Did you feel this dro

Certainly not. I was fre

ed to his feet and ran round to where the porter

k hold of the porter's head with one hand, and with the other turned down his lower

ow, where is yo

sieur, I can

o you keep it? Look agai

hook his hea

onsieur, and m

papers, th

it, monsieur. I mus

act was to be recorded, for the mome

e the names of

cannot remember, not enough

tating. To think that I have to do with a

You can tell me that? Well, go on. By and by we will have the passengers in, and you can fi

artments of four berths each,

t. Here, now, is that right?" and the Ch

: Diagram of

s. Now take a, with berths 1, 2,

ed English, which I understand a little. One was a

directly. Now, b, with ber

member his name. But I sha

c, two bert

as he who-I mean, that is

d 8? Very well. And

nly lady. She

the rest come from? Did

e passengers travelle

n included?

ay, but he came

This lady-sh

ment, yes. But

ot unde

er servant

the

by second class. But she came to h

service,

ut she came a little too often, and I was compe

a countes

by that title. That is a

see the lady

hink at Amberieu

his mo

am quite s

y, for the last stage, when her mistress would be

d not have p

the maid now,

him with an air of

the station. She would hardly desert her

turned to one of his assistants, both of whom had

wait. I am nearly as stupid as t

ck hair. Dressed all in black, plain

s disconnected with the event, but still she ought to be at hand." Then, turning to the

nt all throu

t compartmen

Frenchmen, at least so I judged them. The

passengers come in. We will then determine their places and affix the