The discussion was carried on for some time longer, various points of detail being more fully gone into. Finally, it was arranged that on the following morning Burnley and Lefarge should begin the tracing of Felix’s movements from the night of the dinner-party until he left French soil, after which Burnley would continue the quest alone, while Lefarge turned his attention to ascertaining Boirac’s movements during the crucial period. CHAPTER XVIII LEFARGE HUNTS ALONE At nine o’clock next morning the two colleagues met at the hotel in the rue Castiglione. They had discussed their plan of campaign before separating the previous evening, and did not waste time getting to work. Calling a taxi, they drove once more to the Hotel Continental and asked for their old friend the manager. In a few minutes they were ushered into the presence of that urbane and smiling, but somewhat bored official. ‘We are exceedingly sorry to trouble you again, monsieur,’ apologised Lefarge, ‘but the fact is we find we require some more information about your recent visitor, M. Felix. If you can help us to obtain it, you will greatly add to our already large debt of gratitude.’ The manager bowed. ‘I shall be delighted to tell you anything I can. What is the point in question?’ ‘We want to trace M. Felix’s movements after he left here. You have already told us he went to catch the 8.20 English boat train at the Gare du Nord. We wondered if he really did travel by it. Can you help us to find out?’ ‘Our bus meets all the incoming boat trains, but attends only those outward bound by which visitors are travelling. If you will pardon me a moment, I will ascertain if it ran that day. It was Sunday, I think?’ ‘Sunday, the 28th March.’ The manager was absent for a few moments, returning with a tall young man in the uniform of a porter. ‘I find the bus did run on the day in question, and Karl, here, went with it. He may be able to answer your questions.’ ‘Thank you, monsieur.’ Lefarge turned to the porter. ‘You went to the Gare du Nord on Sunday, the 28th March, with some passengers for the 8.20 English boat train?’ ‘Yes, monsieur.’ ‘How many passengers had you?’ The porter considered. ‘Three, monsieur,’ he replied at length. ‘Did you know who they were?’ ‘Two of them I knew, monsieur. One was M. Leblanc, a gentleman who had stayed in the hotel for over a month. The second was M. Felix, who has been a constant visitor for years. The third was an English gentleman, but I do not know his name.’ ‘Did these gentlemen converse together while in the bus?’ ‘I saw M. Felix speaking to the Englishman as they were leaving the bus, otherwise I cannot say.’ ‘Did they go by the 8.20?’ ‘Yes, monsieur. I put their luggage into the carriages, and I saw all three in the train as it was starting.’ ‘Was M. Felix alone?’ ‘He was, monsieur.’ ‘Did he meet or speak with a lady at the station?’ ‘I do not think so, monsieur. Certainly I did not see a lady.’