The Rome Express

t?" asked

ating, swashbuckling soldier, with his blustering barrack-room ways. I long to come to close

rrogate him yourself. Very

ficials in one cold, stiff bow, waited a moment, and then, fi

e I may s

," said the Judge, hastily, and ev

ral, taking out a silver cigarette-case. "May

d the Chief, rudely. "Nor is smoki

e this as a court of justice, and I think, if you will forgive m

of the recent effervescence when he was acting as the Countess's ch

General Collingham?

General Sir Charles Collin

tir

ill on the a

will have to

u have already sent to

ome," answered the det

eve me, why do

ave means to make you. You are suspected, inculpated in a terrible

permit me, I will take up this. And you, M. le Général, I am sure you ca

he General, with the utmost courtesy, as

ntreat you, as a good and gallant gentleman, to mee

not been of my making, but rather of that little man there." The General poin

d the Judge, after fingering a few pages of the dispositions in front of him, "that

all me her friend. I am proud

have you k

ce the beginning of the l

frequent

mitted to call on her o

now all he

? I know whom I met th

ften meet among the

at I have. The name is familiar som

of the Roman bankers

ad no dealing with them. Certainl

the Coun

that I am

tive evidence that he was

ot only have I never met him, but I have n

nt in the Via Margutta on the very evening of her departure from Rome

ur in the afternoon to offer my services for the journey,

uadling-this friend, acquaintance, call him what you please, but at least intimate enough to

starting from his chair. "And what do you deduce from all this

t, and sentiment cannot be permitted to influence us. We have good reasons for suspecting that lady. I tell

know thos

the only woman, you understa

hen?" asked the General, evident

I am exceeding my du

t society, of the highest character,-believe me, I know that to be the case,

ibly have been in the car? No one got in at Laroc

are quite mistaken, I assure yo

jected the detective. "Why

t it is nevertheless the fact. Verify

f course, but the action showed distrust, at which the General only smiled, but he laughed outr

led up?" asked the detective, and th

would fix fre

could not answe

ey should not have stopped. Yet he, the porter, had not done so, nor did any passenge

essed. "Do you draw any conclusion fr

cited the fact to disprove your theory. But if

ge bowe

or excitable person involved indirectly in such a catastrophe. But to disavow the act starts suspic

reason w

surely! Why, what else but to afford s

of you, especially at such a critical time. The aisle would be

d-that the person had already left the ca

Where? What

ndow of the compartment wher

w, then?" quickly asked the

e first alarm. It occurred to me at once

express train going at top speed would be an imposs

l harp upon the woman? Why shoul

nce to a gesture of protest from M. Flo?on. The little detective was m

ap of beading for the General's inspection, adding quickly, "You have seen these, or one of them, or something like them before. I am