All three men, seated abreast, were silent until, at last, the elder of
the two police agents bent and glanced at the clock on the dashboard,
visible by the tiny glow-lamp.

"Half past twelve," he remarked. "The express leaves Verdun at two
twenty-eight."

"For where?" asked Paul.

"For Paris."

"Paris!" he cried. "Are you taking me to Paris?"

"Those are our orders," was the detective's quiet response.

CHAPTER XVI

THE ORDERS OF HIS EXCELLENCY

AGAIN Paul sat back without a word. Well, he would hear the extraordinary
charge against him, whatever it might be. And, without speaking, they
travelled on and on, until they at last entered the Porte St. Paul at
Verdun, passed up the Avenue de la Gare, skirting the Palais de Justice
into the station yard.

As Paul descended they were met by a third stranger who strolled
forward--a man in a heavy travelling coat and a soft Homburg hat.

It was the man who had sat behind him earlier in the evening--the man
with the deep lines upon his care-worn brow, who had laughed so
heartily--and who a moment later introduced himself as Jules Pierrepont,
special commissaire of the Paris Surete.

"We have met before?" remarked Paul abruptly.

"Yes, Monsieur Le Pontois," replied the man with a grim smile. "On
several occasions lately. It has been my duty to keep observation upon
your movements--acting upon orders from Monsieur the Prefect of Police."

And together they entered the dark, deserted station to await the night
express for Paris.

Suddenly Paul turned back, saying to the chauffeur in a low, hard voice:
"Gallet, to-morrow go and tell madame my wife that I am unexpectedly
called to the capital. Tell her--tell her that I will write to her. But,
at all hazards, do not let her know the truth that I am under arrest," he
added hoarsely.

"That is understood, monsieur," replied the man, saluting. "Neither
madame nor anyone else shall know why you have left for Paris."

"I rely upon you," were Paul's parting words, and, turning upon his heel,
he accompanied the three men who were in waiting.

Half an hour later he sat in a second-class compartment of the Paris
_rapide_ with the three keen-eyed men who had so swiftly effected his
arrest.

It was apparent to him now that the reason he had recognised Pierrepont
was because that man had maintained vigilant, yet unobtrusive,
observation upon him during several of the preceding days, keeping near
him in all sorts