"At what hour was La Liberté destroyed?" he asked.
"The first explosion was at 5:50. There were two others, a few minutes apart. The main magazine exploded at very close to six o'clock."
"So that these signals began at least an hour before and continued nearly an hour past that time?"
"That is so, sir," assented Marbeau, in surprise; "but I can imagine no connection—"
"Do not imagine anything," broke in Delcassé quickly, his voice quivering with excitement. "Perhaps there is no connection; but nevertheless I think these signals should have been reported to me. Come in," he added, as a tap sounded at the door.
His secretary entered and handed him a telegram. Delcassé's eyes were positively gleaming as he read it.
"Better and better!" he cried. "Oh, this is a game after my own heart!" and he tossed the telegram to Lépine. "Read it aloud!" he added, "that I may be sure my eyes have not deceived me!"
And Lépine picked up the message and read:
"Note B162864R, one hundred francs, one of series of three hundred such notes sent to Imperial Bank, Berlin, September 8.
"Linné, Governor Bank of France."