CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. From London to Dover.-The Wilmot Diamonds.-An Arrest The Channel Boat. CHAPTER II. CHAPTER III. From Calais to Paris.-A Passenger missing CHAPTER IV. Mr. Bingham meets the Train CHAPTER V. Inspector George Byde draws up a Report on the Wilmot (Park Lane) Inquiry; and subsequently describes, among other Matters, an equilateral Triangle on a given finite straight Line Page 7 22 36 47 56 The Paris Offices of the I.O.T.A.-Brother Neel. 103 CHAPTER IX. The Morgue. 121 CHAPTER X. Inspector Byde and an old Friend. The Inspector tries his own particular Method. 173335 139 Brother Neel at the Hôtel des Nations.-His strange Neighbours. He leaves a Parcel with his Colleague of the I.O.T.A. CHAPTER XII. Detective Toppin omits to ascertain the Errand of Miss Murdoch. -M. Michel Hy (of the Prefecture).-His "Theory of Surmise;" and an unexpected Piece of Evidence CHAPTER XIII. The Inspector calls upon Miss Adela Knollys.—Were there ever any "Wilmot Diamonds?" CHAPTER XIV. The Vicomte de Bingham (otherwise "Innocent Ben") CHAPTER XV. 158 178 197 A Clue found by the French Press.-Secret Societies.-The "Maëlstrom" CHAPTER XVI. Brother Neel receives a Visit.-The Parcel.-A great Chance for the Inspector to atone for one Mistake. 244 267 No Case? CHAPTER XVII. CHAPTER XVIII. Miss Knollys calls on the Inspector.-The strange Neighbours of Brother Neel. 290 311 CHAPTER XIX. The Wilmot Diamonds. -The Anarchist has "changed his 333 CHAPTER XX. Mr. Sinclair's Situation.-Detective Toppin has succeeded, and has failed.—He sends off a Telegram for Mr. Byde, who leaves Paris by the Morning Mail CHAPTER XXI. The Man who follows the Inspector. The Golconda Club. An Interview with the Chief. 356 375 I THE PASSENGER FROM SCOTLAND YARD. CHAPTER I. THE night mail for the Continent stood ready to glide out of the London terminus, the leave-taking friends assembled in small groups upon the platform before the carriage doors were reiterating last messages and once more exchanging promises to "write," when a hardfeatured, thick-set gentleman who had been peering out of a second-class window drew back with a slight exclamation of annoyance or disappointment, and sank into a corner seat. Hardly a moment had passed, when the rattle of the guard's key was again heard in the lock, and the door fell open to admit a fifth passenger. "Just in time, sir!" muttered the guard, banging the door after the new arrival and relocking it. He immediately signalled with his lamp, a whistle rang out sharply, and the night mail for the Continent started from London. The new-comer installed himself unobtrusively in the nearest vacant place, and at once muffled himself up in a travelling-rug and a voluminous wrapper or two. Presently there was little to be seen of his face but a pair of gray eyes and a Roman nose. He sat with his back to the engine, in the corner opposite the thick-set, rubicund, hard-featured gentleman, and the latter had from the first followed his movements with a singular interest. In fact, the new-comer might have been justified in remarking with some impatience upon the odd scrutiny of which he thus became the object. He seemed, however, to be quite oblivious of his fellow-passengers. It was nothing to him, apparently, that the gaze of those blood-shot blue eyes should be roving continually from the cloth cap which he wore, with lappets over the ears, to the bulky hand-bag he kept upon his knees, and the plain walking-stick he had deposited in the receptacle overhead. The walking-stick had knots or rings along its length, such as are suitable for concealing the juncture of the handle and the sheath in ordinary sword-canes. Its owner kept his eyes lowered, for the most part, as though he wished to be as little observed as he was himself observant, and as though he feared to be drawn into conversation by even a chance interchange of glances. But, now and then, he might have been detected in a rapid survey of the entire compartment; indeed, at the end of one of these lightning-like excursions, his gray eyes encountered the blood-shot, inquiring orbs of the passenger opposite. It was already some time since the train had glided out of the London terminus, and dashed through the suburban stations on its way to Dover. "A curious case-that diamond robbery in Park Lane!" said the red-faced, thick-set gentleman aloud. He appeared to be addressing the remark to the company in general, but he still watched the features of the latest arrival amongst them. That personage moved slightly as he heard the remark, but proffered no response. He merely closed the keen gray eyes, and |