“At the bottom, of course,” replied the Russian. “Any fool might have known that. The gas must rise, not fall; then when he feels its effect and tumbles down, he will be in a denser layer of it, whereas, if we put it in the top, and he fell down, he would come into pure air, and so might make his escape. You did not bore the hole over the top berth, I hope?” “Yes, Excellency, but I bored one at the bottom also.” “Oh, very well, we can easily stop the one at the top. Have you fastened the window? for the first thing these English do is to open a window.” “The window is securely fastened, your Excellency, unless he breaks the glass.” “Oh, he will not think of doing that until it is too late. The English are a law-abiding people. How many other passengers are there in the car?” “Oh, I forgot to tell you, Excellency, the Room B has been taken by an English lady, who is there now.” “Ten thousand devils!” cried the Russian in a hoarse whisper. “Why did you not say that before?” The voices now fell to so low a murmur that Jennie could not distinguish the words spoken. A moment later there was a rap at her door, and she had presence of mind enough to get in the further corner, and say in a sleepy voice,-- “Come in!” The conductor opened the door. “_Votre billet, s’il vous plaît, madame.”_ “Can’t you speak English?” asked Jennie. The conductor merely repeated his question, and as Jennie was shaking her head the big Russian looked over the conductor’s shoulder and said in passable English,-- “He is asking for your ticket, madam. Do you not speak French?” In answer to this direct question Jennie, fumbling in her purse for her ticket, replied,-- “I speak English, and I have already shown him my ticket.” She handed her broad-sheet sleeping-car ticket to the Russian, who had pushed the conductor aside and now stood within the compartment. “There has been a mistake,” he said. “Room C is the one that has been reserved for you.” “I am sure there isn’t any mistake,” said Jennie. “I booked berths 5 and 6. See, there are the numbers,” pointing to the metallic plates by the door, “and here are the same numbers on the ticket.” The Russian shook his head. “The mistake has been made at the office of the Sleeping Car Company. I am a director of the Company.” “Oh, are you?” asked Jennie innocently. “Is Room C as comfortable as this one?” “It is a duplicate of this one, madam, and is more comfortable, because it is nearer the centre of the car.” “Well, there is no mistake about my reserving the two berths, is there?” “Oh, no, madam, the room is entirely at your disposal.” “Well, then, in that case,” said Jennie, “I have no objection to making a change.”