ould seem, to make sure that his only fellow-traveller was asleep; and,
when satisfied on that point, he had at once withdrawn.

The clergyman leaped to his feet. The extreme of terror had given place
to a reaction of foolhardy daring. He reflected that the rattle of the
flying train concealed all other sounds, and determined, come what
might, to return the visit he had just received. Divesting himself of
his cloak, which might have interfered with the freedom of his action,
he entered the lavatory and paused to listen. As he had expected, there
was nothing to be heard above the roar of the train's progress; and
laying his hand on the door at the farther side, he proceeded cautiously
to draw it back for about six inches. Then he stopped, and could not
contain an ejaculation of surprise.

John Vandeleur wore a fur travelling-cap with lappets to protect his
ears; and this may have combined with the sound of the express to keep
him in ignorance of what was going forward. It is certain, at least,
that he did not raise his head, but continued without interruption to
pursue his strange employment. Between his feet stood an open hat-box;
in one hand he held the sleeve of his sealskin greatcoat; in the other a
formidable knife, with which he had just slit up the lining of the
sleeve. Mr. Rolles had read of persons carrying money in a belt; and as
he had no acquaintance with any but cricket-belts, he had never been
able rightly to conceive how this was managed. But here was a stranger
thing before his eyes; for John Vandeleur, it appeared, carried diamonds
in the lining of his sleeve; and even as the young clergyman gazed, he
could see one glittering brilliant drop after another into the hat-box.

He stood riveted to the spot, following this unusual business with his
eyes. The diamonds were, for the most part, small, and not easily
distinguishable either in shape or fire. Suddenly the Dictator appeared
to find a difficulty; he employed both hands and stooped over his task;
but it was not until after considerable manoeuvring that he extricated
a large tiara of diamonds from the lining, and held it up for some
seconds' examination before he placed it with the others in the hat-box.
The tiara was a ray of light to Mr. Rolles; he immediately recognised
it for a part of the treasure stolen from Harry Hartley by the loiterer.
There was no room for mistake; it was exactly as the detective had
described it; there were the ruby stars, w