is for a long time she refused to
venture, declaring that it was only to exchange one form of death
for another. Then, as Quadling again threatened to stab her, she
was compelled to accept this last chance, never hoping to win out
alive.

"With Quadling's assistance, however, she succeeded in climbing
out through the window and in gaining the roof. He had told her to
wait for the first occasion when the train slackened speed to
leave it and shift for herself. With this intention he gave her a
thousand francs, and bade her never show herself again.

"Witness descended from the train not far from the small station
of Villeneuve on the line, and there took the local train for
Paris. Landed at the Lyons Station, she heard of the inquiry in
progress, and then, waiting outside, saw Quadling disguised as the
Italian leave in company with another man. She followed and marked
Quadling down, meaning to denounce him on the first opportunity.
Quadling, however, on issuing from the restaurant, had accosted
her, and at once offered her a further sum of five thousand francs
as the price of silence, and she had gone with him to the Hotel
Ivoire, where she was to receive the sum. Quadling had paid it,
but on one condition, that she would remain at the Hotel Ivoire
until the following day. Apparently he had distrusted her, for he
had contrived to lock her into her compartment. As she did not
choose to be so imprisoned, she summoned assistance, and was at
length released by the police."

This was the substance of Hortense Petitpre's deposition, and it
was corroborated in many small details.

When she appeared before the Judge, with whom Sir Charles
Collingham and Colonel Papillon were seated, the former at once
pointed out that she was wearing a dark mantle trimmed with the
same sort of passementerie as that picked up in the sleeping-car.

L'Envoi

Quadling was in due course brought before the Court of Assize and
tried for his life. There was no sort of doubt of his guilt, and
the jury so found, but, having regard to certain extenuating
circumstances, they recommended him to mercy. The chief of these
was Quadling's positive assurance that he had been first attacked
by Ripaldi; he declared that the Italian detective had in the
first instance tried to come to terms with him, demanding 50,000
francs as his price for allowing him to go at large; that when
Quadling distinctly refused to be black-mailed, Ripaldi struck at
him with a k