ess. I have only elicited the fact to disprove
your theory. But if you wish, I will tell you how it strikes me."

The Judge bowed assent.

"The bare fact that the train was halted would mean little. That would
be the natural act of a timid or excitable person involved indirectly in
such a catastrophe. But to disavow the act starts suspicion. The fair
inference is that there was some reason, an unavowable reason, for
halting the train."

"And that reason would be--"

"You must see it without my assistance, surely! Why, what else but to
afford some one an opportunity to leave the car."

"But how could that be? You would have seen that person, some of you,
especially at such a critical time. The aisle would be full of people,
both exits were thus practically overlooked."

"My idea is--it is only an idea, understand--that the person had
already left the car--that is to say, the interior of the car."

"Escaped how? Where? What do you mean?"

"Escaped through the open window of the compartment where you found the
murdered man."

"You noticed the open window, then?" quickly asked the detective. "When
was that?"

"Directly I entered the compartment at the first alarm. It occurred to
me at once that some one might have gone through it."

"But no woman could have done it. To climb out of an express train going
at top speed would be an impossible feat for a woman," said the
detective, doggedly.

"Why, in God's name, do you still harp upon the woman? Why should it be
a woman more than a man?"

"Because"--it was the Judge who spoke, but he paused a moment in
deference to a gesture of protest from M. Flocon. The little detective
was much concerned at the utter want of reticence displayed by his
colleague.

"Because," went on the Judge with decision--"because this was found in
the compartment;" and he held out the piece of lace and the scrap of
beading for the General's inspection, adding quickly, "You have seen
these, or one of them, or something like them before. I am sure of it; I
call upon you; I demand--no, I appeal to your sense of honour, Sir
Collingham. Tell me, please, exactly what you know."

CHAPTER X

The General sat for a time staring hard at the bit of torn lace and the
broken beads. Then he spoke out firmly:

"It is my duty to withhold nothing. It is not the lace. That I could not
swear to; for me--and probably for most men--two pieces of lace are very
much the same. But I think I have seen thes