ut its destruction--it was
because the boiler had exploded at the top and on the side. The wheels
being undamaged, the engine had run far enough to come gradually to a
standstill of itself, and thus the passengers had been saved a violent
shock.

Of the boiler and its accessories only a few shapeless fragments
remained. The funnel had gone, the dome, the steam chest; there was
nothing but torn plates, broken, twisted tubes, split cylinders, and
loose connecting rods--gaping wounds in the corpse of steel.

And not only had the engine been destroyed, but the tender had been
rendered useless. Its tank had been cracked, and its load of coals
scattered over the line. The luggage-van, curious to relate, had
miraculously escaped without injury.

And looking at the terrible effects of the explosion, I could see that
the Roumanian had had no chance of escape, and had probably been blown
to fragments.

Going a hundred yards down the line I could find no trace of him--which
was not to be wondered at.

At first we looked on at the disaster in silence; but eventually
conversation began.

"It is only too evident," said one of the passengers, "that our driver
and stoker have perished in the explosion."

"Poor fellows!" said Popof. "But I wonder how the train could have got
on the Nanking branch without being noticed?"

"The night was very dark," said Ephrinell, "and the driver could not
see the points."

"That is the only explanation possible," said Popof, "for he would have
tried to stop the train, and, on the contrary, we were traveling at
tremendous speed."

"But," said Pan-Chao, "how does it happen the Nanking branch was open
when the Tjon viaduct is not finished? Had the switch been interfered
with?"

"Undoubtedly," said Popof, "and probably out of carelessness."

"No," said Ephrinell, deliberately. "There has been a crime--a crime
intended to bring about the destruction of the train and passengers--"

"And with what object?" asked Popof.

"The object of stealing the imperial treasure," said Ephrinell. "Do you
forget that those millions would be a temptation to scoundrels? Was it
not for the purpose of robbing the train that we were attacked between
Tchertchen and Tcharkalyk?"

The American could not have been nearer the truth.

"And so," said Popof, "after Ki-Tsang's attempt, you think that other
bandits--"

Up to now Major Noltitz had taken no part in the discussion. Now he
interrupted Popof, and in a vo