“This isn’t a trick you’re playing on me?” he demanded. “Don’t be silly,” said Bob firmly. “That isn’t my idea of a joke. We’ve got to get busy now.” Bob pressed the buzzer for the porter, who put in an almost immediate appearance. “Get the Pullman conductor here at once,” he commanded. “Sorry, boss, but he’s eating supper up ahead.” “Get him,” retorted Bob, and the manner in which he gave the order sent the porter scurrying up the aisle. “How could this have happened?” asked Tully, and from the heaviness of his voice Bob knew that his companion had not fully thrown off the effects of the attack which had overcome him that afternoon. “The secret of this is somewhere on the Limited,” replied Bob. “Only three people, in addition to myself, were in the compartment with you. One was the Pullman conductor, the other was Hamsa, and the third was the porter. I think we can rule out the porter for he was in there only once or twice. There’s just a chance the conductor might have come back in while I was in the diner.” “What motive would he have in taking such a report?” Tully wanted to know and Bob confessed that there apparently was none. The conductor, evidently irritated at being called from his dinner, entered the car and hurried down to the section. “What’s the matter?” he asked crisply. Bob did not like the tone of his voice and he drew forth the little badge which identified him. The conductor’s eyes widened in astonishment and there was an instant change in his attitude. He looked toward Tully significantly. “Prisoner?” he asked. “No. He’s a federal agent like myself. Sometime after he was stricken this afternoon an envelope containing valuable information was taken from him and worthless papers substituted.” “You’re not suspecting me of this, are you?” asked the conductor and there was such pathetic anxiety in his voice that Bob felt that the man was innocent of any wrong doing. “I’m not suspecting or accusing anyone at present,” replied Bob. “I simply want to know if you saw anything unusual going on in this car at any time while I was in the diner and while my companion was asleep on the couch in the compartment ahead.” The conductor shook his head. “I was through the car twice,” he said, “and the only one here was the man who had lower nine. The first time he was in his seat and the second time he was near the rear vestibule. He had on a slicker and had the upper part of the door open.” “When was that?” The question shot eagerly from Bob’s lips. “Just before our last stop at Atkinson where we took on coal and water,” replied the conductor. “I didn’t notice him again until up in the diner a few minutes ago.” “The vestibule door was opened by someone while we were in Atkinson,” put in the porter. “Then lower nine’s passenger must have taken a walk. Fine night for a thing like that,” said the conductor. “Come to think of it, I did see his slicker on another chair in the diner.”