Very well. This lady--she was alone?"

"In the compartment, yes. But not altogether."

"I do not understand!"

"She had her servant with her."

"In the car?"

"No, not in the car. As a passenger by second class. But she came to her
mistress sometimes, in the car."

"For her service, I presume?"

"Well, yes, monsieur, when I would permit it. But she came a little too
often, and I was compelled to protest, to speak to Madame la Comtesse--"

"She was a countess, then?"

"The maid addressed her by that title. That is all I know. I heard her."

"When did you see the lady's maid last?"

"Last night. I think at Amberieux. about 8 p.m."

"Not this morning?"

"No, sir, I am quite sure of that."

"Not at Laroche? She did not come on board to stay, for the last stage,
when her mistress would be getting up, dressing, and likely to require
her?"

"No; I should not have permitted it."

"And where is the maid now, d'you suppose?"

The porter looked at him with an air of complete imbecility.

"She is surely somewhere near, in or about the station. She would hardly
desert her mistress now," he said, stupidly, at last.

"At any rate we can soon settle that." The Chief turned to one of his
assistants, both of whom had been standing behind him all the time, and
said:

"Step out, Galipaud, and see. No, wait. I am nearly as stupid as this
simpleton. Describe this maid."

"Tall and slight, dark-eyed, very black hair. Dressed all in black,
plain black bonnet. I cannot remember more."

"Find her, Galipaud--keep your eye on her. We may want her--why, I
cannot say, as she seems disconnected with the event, but still she
ought to be at hand." Then, turning to the porter, he went on. "Finish,
please. You said 9 and 10 was the lady's. Well, 11 and 12?"

"It was vacant all through the run."

"And the last compartment, for four?"

"There were two berths, occupied both by Frenchmen, at least so I judged
them. They talked French to each other and to me."

"Then now we have them all. Stand aside, please, and I will make the
passengers come in. We will then determine their places and affix their
names from their own admissions. Call them in, Block, one by one."

CHAPTER III

The questions put by M. Flocon were much the same in every case, and
were limited in this early stage of the inquiry to the one point of
identity.

The first who entered was a Frenchman. He was a jovial, fat-faced,
portly man, who answered to t