The Rome Express
t?" asked
ating, swashbuckling soldier, with his blustering barrack-room ways. I long to come to close
rrogate him yourself. Very
ficials in one cold, stiff bow, waited a moment, and then, fi
e I may s
," said the Judge, hastily, and ev
ral, taking out a silver cigarette-case. "May
d the Chief, rudely. "Nor is smoki
e this as a court of justice, and I think, if you will forgive m
of the recent effervescence when he was acting as the Countess's ch
General Collingham?
General Sir Charles Collin
tir
ill on the a
will have to
u have already sent to
ome," answered the det
eve me, why do
ave means to make you. You are suspected, inculpated in a terrible
permit me, I will take up this. And you, M. le Général, I am sure you ca
he General, with the utmost courtesy, as
ntreat you, as a good and gallant gentleman, to mee
not been of my making, but rather of that little man there." The General poin
d the Judge, after fingering a few pages of the dispositions in front of him, "that
all me her friend. I am proud
have you k
ce the beginning of the l
frequent
mitted to call on her o
now all he
? I know whom I met th
ften meet among the
at I have. The name is familiar som
of the Roman bankers
ad no dealing with them. Certainl
the Coun
that I am
tive evidence that he was
ot only have I never met him, but I have n
nt in the Via Margutta on the very evening of her departure from Rome
ur in the afternoon to offer my services for the journey,
uadling-this friend, acquaintance, call him what you please, but at least intimate enough to
starting from his chair. "And what do you deduce from all this
t, and sentiment cannot be permitted to influence us. We have good reasons for suspecting that lady. I tell
know thos
the only woman, you understa
hen?" asked the General, evident
I am exceeding my du
t society, of the highest character,-believe me, I know that to be the case,
ibly have been in the car? No one got in at Laroc
are quite mistaken, I assure yo
jected the detective. "Why
t it is nevertheless the fact. Verify
f course, but the action showed distrust, at which the General only smiled, but he laughed outr
led up?" asked the detective, and th
would fix fre
could not answe
ey should not have stopped. Yet he, the porter, had not done so, nor did any passenge
essed. "Do you draw any conclusion fr
cited the fact to disprove your theory. But if
ge bowe
or excitable person involved indirectly in such a catastrophe. But to disavow the act starts suspic
reason w
surely! Why, what else but to afford s
of you, especially at such a critical time. The aisle would be
d-that the person had already left the ca
Where? What
ndow of the compartment wher
w, then?" quickly asked the
e first alarm. It occurred to me at once
express train going at top speed would be an imposs
l harp upon the woman? Why shoul
nce to a gesture of protest from M. Flo?on. The little detective was m
ap of beading for the General's inspection, adding quickly, "You have seen these, or one of them, or something like them before. I am