lass carriages passed him, and a second-class carriage
was just coming up with him. The pace alone would have deprived almost
anyone else of power of thought, but this man was evidently a first-rate
athlete, for the moment he caught sight of the second-class carriage he
took his decision. With a tremendous effort he caught hold of the
hand-rail and sprang upon the footboard, where, with extraordinary
skill, he contrived to remain.

Reaching the summit of the slope, the train gathered speed, and with an
even louder roar began its headlong journey through the darkness and the
storm, which seemed to increase in intensity with every passing minute.

For a few seconds the man hung on where he was. Then, when he had
regained his breath, he got on to the upper step and listened at the
door of the corridor at which he found himself. "No one there," he
muttered. "Besides, everyone will be asleep," and, chancing everything,
he rose up, opened the door, and stepped into the second-class carriage
with a grunt of relief.

Making no attempt to conceal himself, he walked boldly into the lavatory
and washed his face that was blackened with the smoke from outside, and
then, in the most leisurely, natural way possible, he came out of the
lavatory and walked along the corridor, soliloquising aloud, manifestly
not minding whether he were overheard.

"It's positively maddening! No one can sleep, with travelling companions
like that!"

As he spoke he went along the corridor, rapidly glancing into every
compartment. In one, three men were asleep, obviously unaware that
anyone was surveying them from outside. The door of the compartment was
ajar, and the stranger noiselessly stepped within. The fourth corner was
unoccupied, and here the man took his seat, laying his bundle down
beside him, and feigning sleep. He waited, motionless, for a good
quarter of an hour, until he was quite satisfied that his companions
were really sleeping soundly, then he slid his hand into the bundle by
his side, seemed to be doing something inside it, then withdrew his hand
noiselessly, stepped out of the compartment, and carefully closed the
door.

In the corridor he drew a sigh of relieved satisfaction, and took a
cigar from his pocket.

"Everything is going splendidly," he said to himself. "I was cursing
this awful storm just now, but it is wonderfully useful to me. On such a
night as this no one would dream of opening the windows." He strolled up
and do