ost surprising adventures--presence of
mind.

A few minutes before this the taxi with its tragic burden had stopped
at his police-station, and the men on duty had carried in the body of
the unfortunate captain.

Called in all haste, the sergeant had immediately made a rapid
investigation. He examined the documents in the victim's portfolio.

"Here's a go!" he muttered--"'State of munition supplies!' 'Orders for
the eastern fortresses!' I do not want to keep such important
documents longer than I can help."

He had immediately telephoned to Headquarters. Reassured by the
sergeant's reply, the superintendent turned to the policeman.

"You have made out your report?" he asked curtly.

The honest guardian of the peace touched his cap, looked perplexed,
and scratched his head.

"Not yet, Monsieur. No time, Monsieur. But I will write it out at
once."

The superintendent smiled at his embarrassed subordinate. "Suppose we
do it together!"

"Let us see now! The deceased was a captain--isn't that so? The papers
found in his portfolio and the name written on it let us know that he
was called Brocq, and that he was attached to the Ministry. So much
for his identity. We will not trouble about his domicile, the Place
will tell us that! Now let us go into the details of the
accident--tell me, my man, exactly how his death occurred!"

Again the worthy guardian of the peace scratched his head with an
anxious look.

"I saw nothing of it, Monsieur," he replied.

"And the taxi-driver? You have his deposition?"

"He did not see anything either, Monsieur."

"Call this chauffeur."

A few minutes after, the superintendent dismissed the chauffeur. A
short interrogation revealed that the taxi-driver had not only seen
nothing, but that he could do nothing to help the enquiry.

The superintendent recalled the honest policeman.

"Come now! You are certain that the victim died immediately?"

"Well, you see, Monsieur, while I was dispersing the crowd, a doctor
came up, and it was he who told me how the dead man died!"

"This doctor did not point out to you the cause of death?"

"No, Monsieur. But he gave me his card."

The policeman drew from the pocket of his tunic a dirty note-book. He
took a card from it and handed it to his chief. "There, Monsieur!"

The magistrate looked at the name. _Professor Barrell, of the School
of Medicine_. Turning the card, he read aloud a few words in pencil:

"_Sudden death, which seems du