Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, The (48 page)

  We took our seats in the opposite train, which I noticed was marked 'Amsterdam, Bruxelles, Paris'. But I said nothing. The Count jumped in, jumped about, arranged our parcels, jumped out again. He spoke to a porter; then he rushed back excitedly. '
Mille pardons
, miladi,' he cried. 'I find the
chef-de-gare
has cruelly deceived me. You were right, after all, mademoiselle! We must return to the coupe!'

  With singular magnanimity, I refrained from saying, 'I told you so.'

  Lady Georgina, very flustered and hot by this time, tumbled out once more, and bolted back to the coupe. Both trains were just starting. In her hurry, at last, she let the Count take possession of her jewel-case. I rather fancy that as he passed one window he handed it in to the shabby-looking passenger; but I am not certain. At any rate, when we were comfortably seated in our own compartment once more, and he stood on the footboard just about to enter, of a sudden he made an unexpected dash back, and flung himself wildly into a Paris carriage. At the self-same moment, with a piercing shriek, both trains started.

  Lady Georgina threw up her hands in a frenzy of horror. 'My diamonds!' she cried aloud. 'Oh, Lois, my diamonds!'

  'Don't distress yourself,' I answered, holding her back, for I verily believe she would have leapt from the train. 'He has only taken the outer shell, with the sandwich-case inside it. Here is the steel box!' And I produced it, triumphantly.

  She seized it, overjoyed. 'How did this happen?' she cried, hugging it, for she loved those diamonds.

  'Very simply,' I answered. 'I saw the man was a rogue, and that he had a confederate with him in another carriage. So, while you were gone to the buffet at Ostend, I slipped the box out of the case, and put in the sandwich-tin, that he might carry it off, and we might have proofs against him. All you have to do now is to inform the conductor, who will telegraph to stop the train to Paris. I spoke to him about that at Ostend, so that everything is ready.'

  She positively hugged me. 'My dear,' she cried, 'you are the cleverest little woman I ever met in my life! Who on earth could have suspected such a polished gentleman? Why, you're worth your weight in gold. What the dickens shall I do without you at Schlangenbad?'

This edition first published in the UK
in 2008 by No Exit Press
an imprint of Oldcastle Books
P O Box 394,
Harpenden, AL5 1XJ

This ebook edition first published in 2013

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  ISBN
978–1–84243–248-8 (print)
978–1–84344–087-1 (epub)
978–1–84344–088-8 (kindle)
978–1–84344–089-5 (pdf)

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