forward to shake hands. "I was sure you would come."

"Come, sir! Of course I came. I was just going to an official function,
as you see, but his Excellency insisted, my horse was at the door, and
here I am."

All this was in English, but the attache turned now to the officials,
and, with many apologies for his intrusion, suggested that they should
allow his friend, the General, to return with him to the Embassy when
they had done with him.

"Of course we will answer for him. He shall remain at your disposal, and
will appear whenever called upon." He returned to Sir Charles, asking,
"You will promise that, sir?"

"Oh, willingly. I had always meant to stay on a bit in Paris. And really
I should like to see the end of this. But my brother? He must get home
for next Sunday's duty. He has nothing to tell, but he would come back
to Paris at any time if his evidence was wanted."

The French Judge very obligingly agreed to all these proposals, and two
more of the detained passengers, making four in all, now left the
station.

Then the officials proceeded to the car, which still remained as the
Chief Detective had left it.

Here they soon found how just were the General's previsions.

CHAPTER XI

The three officials went straight to where the still open window showed
the particular spot to be examined. The exterior of the car was a little
smirched and stained with the dust of the journey, lying thick in parts,
and in others there were a few great splotches of mud plastered on.

The detective paused for a moment to get a general view, looking, in the
light of the General's suggestion, for either hand or foot marks,
anything like a trace of the passage of a feminine skirt, across the
dusty surface.

But nothing was to be seen, nothing definite or conclusive at least.
Only here and there a few lines and scratches that might be encouraging,
but proved little.

Then the Commissary, drawing nearer, called attention to some
suspicious spots sprinkled about the window, but above it towards the
roof.

"What is it?" asked the detective, as his colleague with the point of
his long fore-finger nail picked at the thin crust on the top of one of
these spots, disclosing a dark, viscous core.

"I could not swear to it, but I believe it is blood."

"Blood! Good Heavens!" cried the detective, as he dragged his powerful
magnifying glass out of his pocket and applied it to the spot. "Look, M.
le Juge," he added, after a long