y mean nothing. There are many Germans who are
citizens of the United States."

"Yes; but the German name is Schmidt, not Smith. I conclude that this
man is a German, but was trying to conceal it."

"You may be right," Delcasse assented, with a trace of impatience in his
manner; "no doubt you _are_ right. Is there anything more?"

"There is one thing," said Lepine, colouring a little, "which I have
kept until the last, because it seems to upset M. Crochard's theory."

"What is that?"

Lepine drew two sheets of yellow tissue-paper from his pocket-book.

"An hour after our men left the Hotel du Nord," he said, "a telegram
arrived, addressed to this William Smith. Here it is," and he spread out
one of the sheets on the desk before the Minister.

Delcasse bent forward eagerly and read:

"_William Smith, Hotel du Nord, Toulon, France._

"Our mother requests that you abandon trip, cancel all
arrangements, and return at once.

"ALFRED."

"Well?" and Delcasse looked up at his companion.

"That would seem to show, sir," said Lepine, "that William Smith was
only an ordinary traveller, after all. You will see that it was filed
at Brussels at noon of Sunday, the twenty-fourth. It was delayed in
transmission, and for some reason was not received at Toulon until nine
o'clock in the evening. Messages here are not delivered on Sunday
evening after eight o'clock, and this was held until seven the next
morning. At that hour, William Smith was no longer at the hotel."

"Well?" asked Delcasse a second time.

"Well," Lepine continued, "at ten minutes past six on Monday morning,
this message was filed at the office here," and he spread out the second
sheet of tissue.

Again Delcasse bent forward, and read:

"_Alfred Smith, Restante, Brussels._

"We continue our trip as planned. All well. Next address
Nice.

"WILLIAM."

"You will see," Lepine went on, "that these messages are such as an
ordinary tourist would send and receive."

But Delcasse was not listening. He was reading the messages a second
time and yet a third, and there was a wrinkle of perplexity between his
brows. At last he looked up, and the Prefect was astonished at the
expression of his face.

"There is one thing I forgot to tell you last night, Lepine," he said.
"I did not myself see its significance until I had got to bed. The first
telegram received from any foreign power in reference to the disaster