the bonds have been thrown from the train to an accomplice,"
he suggested, exchanging glances with me.

"No. I'm sure they are still here--in the car. When next we stop I
will prevent anyone leaving, and have all the passengers searched. The
one thing that puzzles me is how the thief got to work without waking
me, as I always place a little electric alarm on my bag when
travelling with securities--and secondly, how did he manage to open
both the bag and the dispatch-box it contained?"

"Well," said Rayne. "Don't let us raise any alarm, but just wait till
we get to Lyons. Then we'll see that nobody alights before we call
the police." Then, turning to me, he said: "You'll keep one door,
Hargreave, and I'll keep the other, while Mr. Blumenfeld gives
information."

Thus we waited. But I was sorely puzzled as to the whereabouts of the
stolen bonds. If Duperre had taken them, how had he got rid of them?
That he had done so was quite plain by Rayne's open attitude.

Presently, in the dawn, we ran slowly into Lyons, whereupon, with
Rayne, I mounted guard, allowing no one to leave. Two men wanted to
descend to obtain some _cafe au lait_, as is customary, and were
surprised when prevented.

The commissary of police, with several plain-clothes officers, were
quickly upon the spot, and to them Mr. Blumenfeld related his
story--declaring that while lying awake he smelt a very strong odor of
roses which caused him to become drowsy, and he slept. On awakening he
saw that his dispatch-box had been rifled.

When the millionaire explained who he was and the extent of his loss,
the commissary was at once upon the alert, and ordered every passenger
to be closely searched. In consequence, everyone was turned out and
searched, a woman searching the female passengers, Signorina Lacava
waxing highly indignant. Rayne, Duperre and myself were also very
closely searched, while every nook and cranny of the compartments and
baggage were rummaged during the transit of the train from Lyons down
to Marseilles. The missing bonds could not be discovered, nor did any
suspicion attach to anyone.

I confess myself entirely puzzled as to what had actually occurred.
The well-arranged plan to drop them from the train beyond Dijon had
failed, I knew, because old Mr. Blumenfeld was still awake; but what
alternative plan had been put into action?

It was only when we arrived in Marseilles that the bewildered
conductor, a most reliable servant of the _w