He left the office and, walking to the Simplon station of the Metropolitaine, took the train for the centre of the town. He was pleased with his progress. As in the earlier stages of the inquiry, information was coming in rapidly. At first he was inclined to think he had already got enough to confirm the first portion of Boirac’s statement, then his training re-asserted itself, and he decided to go back to the house in the Avenue de l’Alma, and if possible get François’ corroboration. He therefore alighted at Châtelet and took the Maillot train to Alma, walking down the Avenue. ‘Ah, M. François,’ he began, when the butler opened the door. ‘Here I am back to trouble you again. Can you spare me a couple of minutes?’ ‘Certainly, monsieur. Come in.’ They went to the same small sitting-room and Lefarge produced his Brazilian cigarettes. ‘How do you like them?’ he asked, as the butler helped himself. ‘Some people think they’re too strong, but they suit me down to the ground. Like strong whiffs, only without the cigar flavour. I won’t keep you a moment. It’s just about that bag of M. Boirac’s you took to the Gare du Nord last Tuesday. Tell me, were you followed to the station?’ ‘Followed, monsieur? I? Why no, certainly not. At least not that I know of.’ ‘Well, did you observe at the left luggage office a rather tall man, dressed in gray and with a red beard?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘I saw no one answering to the description.’ ‘At what hour did you leave the bag in?’ ‘About 3.30, monsieur.’ Lefarge affected to consider. ‘Perhaps it’s my mistake,’ he said at last. ‘It was on Tuesday, wasn’t it?’ ‘On Tuesday. Yes, monsieur.’ ‘And M. Boirac sent his telephone call about two, did he not? I think he said about two.’ ‘It was later, monsieur. It was nearer three. But, monsieur, you fill me with curiosity. How, if I may ask, did you know I took Monsieur’s bag to the station?’ ‘He told me last night. He happened to mention he had unexpectedly gone to Belgium, and that you had taken his bag to the left luggage office.’ ‘And the man with the red beard?’ Lefarge, having got his information, was not much troubled to justify his little ruse. ‘One of our detectives. He has been on a case of theft of valuable luggage. I wondered if you had seen him. By the way, did M. Boirac bring back the bag with him? _It_ wasn’t stolen?’ Lefarge smiled, and the butler, politely presuming this was meant for a joke, smiled also. ‘It was not stolen, monsieur. He brought it back all right.’ So far so good. M. Boirac had then, beyond any doubt or question, telephoned about 2.45 on Tuesday and had instructed the butler to take his bag to the Gare du Nord, as he had said. Further, he had called there himself and got the bag. So much was certain. But the statement he made of his movements on Sunday and Monday, and the unpacking of the cask on Monday night still remained to be tested. Lefarge spoke again:--