"Being a soldier, and not a policeman, I cannot myself arrest this
woman. The scandal would be tremendous! I should get into the hottest
of hot water with my chiefs: it is not my job.... Directly we arrive
at the Saint Lazare station I will manage to signal one of the plain
clothes men always on the watch there! Two of them will have her fast
before she knows where she is!"

This seemed the easier because Bobinette had a heavy valise with her:
she would have to call a porter and give him instructions--this would
give him time to act.

Reassured, Henri de Loubersac continued to laugh and joke, though it
went sorely against the grain....

At last! Saint Lazare station! The train stopped.

"I will say good-bye, Mademoiselle Bobinette.... I must hurry away!...
You will excuse me?"

De Loubersac leaped on to the platform, jostling the passengers
crowding his path. He must reach the platform exit without a second's
delay!... As he handed his ticket to the collecter, a hubbub arose.
Passengers were stopping, turning back, running--something sensational
must have happened!

He paused. He heard a porter at his elbow say in a low voice:

"Don't stop, Monsieur Henri--you may be noticed."

De Loubersac identified the speaker as a man in the employ of the
Second Bureau. He handed his wraps to this detective, dressed as an
ordinary porter.

"What is happening, then?" he asked.

"An arrest, ordered by the Second Bureau. There was a man, or a woman,
in your train."

"Ah, Bobinette must have been identified at Rouen when she got into
the train--Juve's men must have wired from there!" Henri de Loubersac
rejoiced. How he hated this creature, whose detestable influence must
harm Wilhelmine, whose wickedness might work woe to the girl he loved!
This traitorous wretch would be under lock and key now!

Splendid!

With mind relieved, he thanked the informer and prepared to leave the
station. But, as he descended the steps leading to the Cour du Havre
he stopped. Two police detectives whom he knew well were walking on
either side a soldier in corporal's uniform--Vinson, of course! They
must be taking him to the Cherche Midi prison.

De Loubersac realised what had happened.

"By-Jove! The telegram Juve had received at Dieppe must have been
false!... Vinson and Bobinette, discovering that they were under
observation, had found means to send Juve a telegram announcing that
Vinson had been met in London: having thus drawn Juve