and was driven straight to the railway station."

"And you followed?"

"Of course. When I saw him walk straight to the sleeping-car, and ask
the conductor for 7 and 8, I knew that his plans had been laid, and that
he was on the point of leaving Rome secretly. When, presently, La
Castagneto also arrived, I concluded that she was in his confidence, and
that possibly they were eloping together."

"Why did you not arrest him?"

"I had no authority, even if I had had the time. Although I was ordered
to watch the Signor Quadling, I had no warrant for his arrest. But I
decided on the spur of the moment what course I should take. It seemed
to be the only one, and that was to embark in the same train and stick
close to my man."

"You informed your superiors, I suppose?"

"Pardon me, monsieur," said the Italian blandly to the Chief, who asked
the question, "but have you any right to inquire into my conduct towards
my superiors? In all that affects the murder I am at your orders, but in
this other matter it is between me and them."

"Ta, ta, ta! They will tell us if you will not. And you had better be
careful, lest you obstruct justice. Speak out, sir, and beware. What did
you intend to do?"

"To act according to circumstances. If my suspicions were confirmed--"

"What suspicions?"

"Why--that this banker was carrying off any large sum in cash, notes,
securities, as in effect he was."

"Ah! You know that? How?"

"By my own eyes. I looked into his compartment once and saw him in the
act of counting them over, a great quantity, in fact--"

Again the officials looked at each other significantly. They had got at
last to a motive for the crime.

"And that, of course, would have justified his arrest?"

"Exactly. I proposed, directly we arrived in Paris, to claim the
assistance of your police and take him into custody. But his fate
interposed."

There was a pause, a long pause, for another important point had been
reached in the inquiry: the motive for the murder had been made clear,
and with it the presumption against the Countess gained terrible
strength.

But there was more, perhaps, to be got out of this dark-visaged Italian
detective, who had already proved so useful an ally.

"One or two words more," said the Judge to Ripaldi. "During the journey,
now, did you have any conversation with this Quadling?"

"None. He kept very much to himself."

"You saw him, I suppose, at the restaurants?"

"Yes, at Modane