It's right the conductor, or chief of the train, or whatever you call him, should know what has happened."
"Why, man, can't you see?
While the train is travelling express, every one must stay on board it; if it slows, it is possible to leave it."
"Who would want to leave it?"
"Oh, I don't know," said the General, rather testily. "Any way, the thing's done now."
The train had pulled up in obedience to the signal of alarm given by some one in the sleeping-car, but by whom it was impossible to say.
Not by the porter, for he seemed greatly surprised as the conductor came up to him.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"Know!
Know what?
You stopped me."
"I didn't."
"Who rang the bell, then?"
"I did not.
But I'm glad you've come.
There has been a crime—murder."
"Good Heavens!" cried the conductor, jumping up on to the car, and entering into the situation at once.
His business was only to verify the fact, and take all necessary precautions.
He was a burly, brusque, peremptory person, the despotic, self-important French official, who knew what to do—as he thought—and did it without hesitation or apology.
"No one must leave the car," he said in a tone not to be misunderstood. "Neither now, nor on arrival at the station."
There was a shout of protest and dismay, which he quickly cut short.
"You will have to arrange it with the authorities in Paris; they can alone decide.
My duty is plain: to detain you, place you under surveillance till then.
Afterwards, we will see.
Enough, gentlemen and madame"—
He bowed with the instinctive gallantry of his nation to the female figure which now appeared at the door of her compartment.
She stood for a moment listening, seemingly greatly agitated, and then, without a word, disappeared, retreating hastily into her own private room, where she shut herself in.
Almost immediately, at a signal from the conductor, the train resumed its journey.
The distance remaining to be traversed was short; half an hour more, and the Lyons station, at Paris, was reached, where the bulk of the passengers—all, indeed, but the occupants of the sleeper—descended and passed through the barriers.
The latter were again desired to keep their places, while a posse of officials came and mounted guard. Presently they were told to leave the car one by one, but to take nothing with them.
All their hand-bags, rugs, and belongings were to remain in the berths, just as they lay.
One by one they were marched under escort to a large and bare waiting-room, which had, no doubt, been prepared for their reception.
Here they took their seats on chairs placed at wide intervals apart, and were peremptorily forbidden to hold any communication with each other, by word or gesture.
This order was enforced by a fierce-looking guard in blue and red uniform, who stood facing them with his arms folded, gnawing his moustache and frowning severely.
Last of all, the porter was brought in and treated like the passengers, but more distinctly as a prisoner.
He had a guard all to himself; and it seemed as though he was the object of peculiar suspicion.
It had no great effect upon him, for, while the rest of the party were very plainly sad, and a prey to lively apprehension, the porter sat dull and unmoved, with the stolid, sluggish, unconcerned aspect of a man just roused from sound sleep and relapsing into slumber, who takes little notice of what is passing around.
Meanwhile, the sleeping-car, with its contents, especially the corpse of the victim, was shunted into a siding, and sentries were placed on it at both ends.
Seals had been affixed upon the entrance doors, so that the interior might be kept inviolate until it could be visited and examined by the Chef de la Surete, or Chief of the Detective Service.
Every one and everything awaited the arrival of this all-important functionary.
CHAPTER II
M. Flocon, the Chief, was an early man, and he paid a first visit to his office about 7 A.M.
He lived just round the corner in the Rue des Arcs, and had not far to go to the Prefecture. But even now, soon after daylight, he was correctly dressed, as became a responsible ministerial officer.
He wore a tight frock coat and an immaculate white tie; under his arm he carried the regulation portfolio, or lawyer's bag, stuffed full of reports, dispositions, and documents dealing with cases in hand.
He was altogether a very precise and natty little personage, quiet and unpretending in demeanour, with a mild, thoughtful face in which two small ferrety eyes blinked and twinkled behind gold-rimmed glasses.
But when things went wrong, when he had to deal with fools, or when scent was keen, or the enemy near, he would become as fierce and eager as any terrier.
He had just taken his place at his table and begun to arrange his papers, which, being a man of method, he kept carefully sorted by lots each in an old copy of the Figaro, when he was called to the telephone.
His services were greatly needed, as we know, at the Lyons station and the summons was to the following effect:
"Crime on train No. 45.
A man murdered in the sleeper.