he name of Anatole Lafolay, and who
described himself as a traveller in precious stones. The berth he had
occupied was No. 13 in compartment _f_. His companion in the berth was a
younger man, smaller, slighter, but of much the same stamp. His name was
Jules Devaux, and he was a commission agent. His berth had been No. 15
in the same compartment, _f_. Both these Frenchmen gave their addresses
with the names of many people to whom they were well known, and
established at once a reputation for respectability which was greatly
in their favour.

The third to appear was the tall, gray-headed Englishman, who had taken
a certain lead at the first discovery of the crime. He called himself
General Sir Charles Collingham, an officer of her Majesty's army; and
the clergyman who shared the compartment was his brother, the Reverend
Silas Collingham, rector of Theakstone-Lammas, in the county of Norfolk.
Their berths were numbered 1 and 4 in _a_.

Before the English General was dismissed, he asked whether he was likely
to be detained.

"For the present, yes," replied M. Flocon, briefly. He did not care to
be asked questions. That, under the circumstances, was his business.

"Because I should like to communicate with the British Embassy."

"You are known there?" asked the detective, not choosing to believe the
story at first. It might be a ruse of some sort.

"I know Lord Dufferin personally; I was with him in India. Also Colonel
Papillon, the military attache; we were in the same regiment. If I sent
to the Embassy, the latter would, no doubt, come himself."

"How do you propose to send?"

"That is for you to decide. All I wish is that it should be known that
my brother and I are detained under suspicion, and incriminated."

"Hardly that, Monsieur le General. But it shall be as you wish. We will
telephone from here to the post nearest the Embassy to inform his
Excellency--"

"Certainly, Lord Dufferin, and my friend, Colonel Papillon."

"Of what has occurred. And now, if you will permit me to proceed?"

So the single occupant of the compartment _b_, that adjoining the
Englishmen, was called in. He was an Italian, by name Natale Ripaldi; a
dark-skinned man, with very black hair and a bristling black moustache.
He wore a long dark cloak of the Inverness order, and, with the slouch
hat he carried in his hand, and his downcast, secretive look, he had the
rather conventional aspect of a conspirator.

"If monsieur permits," he