Two days later the inquest was held in a small room at St Martin's Town Hall, the handsome building overlooking Trafalgar Square, and, as may be imagined, was largely attended by representatives of the Press. All the sensationalism of London evening journalism had, during the two days intervening, been let loose upon the mysterious affair, and the remarkable "latest details" had been "worked up" into an amazing, but utterly fictitious story. One paper, in its excess of zeal to outdistance all its rivals in sensationalism, had hinted that the dead woman was actually the daughter of an Imperial House, and this had aroused public curiosity to fever-heat. When the usual formalities of constituting the Court had been completed, the jury had viewed the body, and the cabman had related his strange story, the Coroner, himself a medical man, dark-bearded and middle-aged, commenced a close cross-examination. "Was it French or Italian the lady spoke?" he asked. "I don't know the difference, sir," the cabman admitted. "The man with her spoke just as quickly as she did." "Was there anything curious in the demeanour of either of them?" "I noticed nothing strange. The gentleman told me to drive along Pall Mall and the Haymarket, or of course I'd 'ave taken the proper route, up Charin' Cross Road and Leicester Square." "You would recognise this gentleman again, I suppose?" the Coroner asked. "I'd know him among a thousand," the man promptly replied. Inspector Elmes, who was present on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department, asked several questions through the Coroner, when the latter afterwards resumed his cross-examination. "You have told us," he said, "that just before entering the cab the gentleman was accosted by a friend. Did you overhear any of their conversation?" "I heard the missing man address the other as `Major,'" the cabman replied. "He introduced the Major to the lady, but I was unable to catch either of their names. The two men seemed very glad to meet, but, on the other hand, my gentleman seemed in a great hurry to get away." "You are certain that this man you know as the Major did not arrive by the same train, eh?" asked the Coroner, glancing sharply up from the paper whereon he was writing the depositions of this important witness. "I am certain; for I noticed him lounging up and down the platform fully 'arf an hour before the train came in." "Then you think he must have been awaiting his friend?" "No doubt he was, sir, for as soon as I drove the lady and gentleman away, he, too, started to walk out of the station." Then the Coroner, having written a few more words upon the foolscap before him, turned to the jury, exclaiming--"This last statement of the witness, gentlemen, seems, to say the least, curious." In an instant all present were on tip-toe with excitement, wondering what startling facts were likely to be revealed. CHAPTER FOUR. "THE MAJOR."