"I see a lady and gentleman in a railway carriage all by themselves. The lady has dark hair and is very beautiful. She is wearing a lovely necklace carrying a large beautiful pendant--the couple are getting out. I see the name of the station--it is Agen. Yes, now they are entering the train once more--Oh! look--they are quarrelling. The man is shaking her terribly. Now they are fighting--Mon Dieu! but it is terrible. See he pulls out a pistol and has struck her with all his might on the temple--Ah! she has fallen down--he lifts her up--she is dead." Payot, Riche and Marcel looked at one another horrified. "Try whether you can see anything more," said Delapine quietly. Violette looked once more at the ring. "Yes, I see the man opening the carriage door--they are entering a tunnel--he has pushed the lady out of the carriage--she has fallen on to the line. Now he shuts the carriage door and sits down. Ah, it is fading away--yes, it is gone, I see nothing more." All the party looked at Violette and her ring. "Can you describe the man?" enquired Delapine. "Yes, he had shiny curly hair, and a small beard and whiskers." "Did the lady look like this?" said Delapine, showing the photograph he took in the salon the day before. "Yes, I recognise her at once by the necklace and pendant," said Violette. He rang the bell and asked the garçon to fetch him a time-table. "It is now about half-past one," said the professor taking out his watch, "and as there is no stoppage between Agen and Bordeaux, it is evident that Bordeaux is his destination. Bordeaux is the port from which steamers sail for South America and the West Indies. South America is one of the few spots in the world which the arm of the law cannot easily reach, therefore it is most probable that he intends going there." "Waiter," he said, "fetch me the Continental Bradshaw. That will give the time of sailings of the various ships." "Ah, here we have it. _La Gascogne_ leaves Bordeaux February 27th, and the _Divona_ February 21st. To-day is February 17th. If, therefore, we communicate with the police at once they will have plenty of time to arrest him in Bordeaux." Delapine stepped up to the bureau and asked them to telephone to Nice for M. Patrigent, the chief of the police. Monsieur Patrigent was one of the most intelligent members of the force. Active, smart and persevering, he had risen step by step to the head of his department by sheer merit. He was a man who always acted immediately, believing that to strike quickly was to strike effectively. On receiving the telephone message he knew from its nature and source that it was no ordinary crime he had to deal with. He therefore at once ceased work, and sending his messenger to fetch his motor car he drove at top speed to the Hotel des Anglais.