‘Here you are,’ he said to Burnley, when the clerk returned. ‘Look at that. That is the receipt from the St. Lazare people for the freight on the cask between this and the address in London, per passenger train via Havre and Southampton.’ ‘Well,’ said Burnley, ‘this gets me altogether. Tell me,’ he added after a pause, ‘when Felix telephoned you from London asking when and by what route you were sending the cask, what did you reply?’ ‘I told him it was crossing on Tuesday night, the 30th of March, by Havre and Southampton.’ ‘We’d better go to St. Lazare,’ said Lefarge. ‘Perhaps M. Thomas will kindly lend us that receipt?’ ‘Certainly, but you must please sign for it, as I shall want it for my audit.’ They parted with expressions of thanks on the part of the detectives, who promised to keep the others advised of the progress of the inquiry. A taxi brought them to St. Lazare, where, at the office of the superintendent of the line, Lefarge’s card had the usual magical effect. ‘Please be seated, gentlemen,’ said the superintendent, ‘and let me know what I can do for you.’ Lefarge showed him the receipt. ‘The matter is somewhat puzzling,’ he said. ‘That cask, as you see, was invoiced out via Havre and Southampton on the 30th ultimo, and yet it turned up in London on Monday, the 5th instant, by the Insular and Continental Steam Navigation Company’s boat _Bullfinch_ from Rouen. The contents of the cask when it left Messrs. Dupierre’s showroom was a group of statuary, but when it arrived at St. Katharine’s Docks--well, I may tell you, monsieur, in confidence--it contained the body of a woman--murdered.’ The superintendent gave an exclamation of surprise. ‘You see, therefore, monsieur, the necessity of our tracing the cask as privately as possible.’ ‘I certainly do. If you will wait a few minutes, gentlemen, I can get you part at least of the information you want.’ The few minutes had expanded into nearly an hour before the superintendent returned.