tly
examined in the courtyard of the Barbey-Nanteuil bank!

"Monsieur Havard at once realised that he had before his eyes the
original hand-cart, and that the hand-cart he had seen in the bank
courtyard was a clever substitute! It need scarcely be said that there
is no trace of the stolen millions to be found in the original
hand-cart, cast away in a siding of the Metropolitan....

"Our readers know something of the appearance presented by these lines,
in course of construction on the Metropolitan railway. We have
repeatedly published in _La Capitale_ details regarding the way in which
the engineers and workmen supervise and execute the cutting of the
passageway on the underground. The operations in the place de l'Opera
are on an enormous scale, for there is a junction here, and the soil is
more undermined than elsewhere on the railway.

"At the precise spot where the explosion occurred, there are four
galleries in course of construction: one is the future Auteuil-Opera
line, the others either lead to existing lines, or are galleries made
for the convenience of the workmen. Hand-cart number one, that is to
say, the substituted hand-cart filled with sacks of lead, was found in
the passageway of the Auteuil-Opera line, which is perfectly accessible,
and would naturally be visited by the rescuers.

"The original hand-cart was hidden away in one of the lateral galleries,
which are small and narrow, and not likely to be visited and examined,
except as a last resource. It is, therefore, clear that the affair has
been carefully arranged: a premeditated robbery. The presence of the two
hand-carts would establish this--the hand-carts used by the bank for the
transport of bullion and other forms of money are of a particular
make--unique, in fact. Their respective positions show that the robbers
had carefully prepared their drama, and it was skilfully arranged.

"Thanks to Monsieur Havard's kindness, we were permitted to approach the
original hand-cart. It was in a lamentable condition: the body of it was
nearly smashed to pieces! Of course, no traces of the seals were to be
found. The only remark we see fit to make in this connection is, that
Monsieur Nanteuil, his clerks, and those who witnessed the accident,
must have been greatly excited and upset, otherwise they would naturally
have been much astonished at finding the substituted hand-cart
practically uninjured after an accident of so crushing a nature.

"We have carefu