"I have travelled from Le Lude to-day."
"And I too," said he, with his former interest.
"I didn't see you at the inn there," said I. "You must have left early this morning."
"Yes, after arriving late last night. Yesterday evening I was at La Flèche."
I gave an inward start; but said quietly enough: "Ah?—and yet you talk as if you had slept at Le Lude."
"So I did. I travelled part of the night."
"And arrived at Le Lude before midnight, perhaps?"
"Yes, a little before. Luckily, the innkeeper happened to be up, and he let me in."
I breathed more freely. This young man must have left La Flèche before I had: he could know nothing of the man slain.
"There is a good inn at La Flèche," I said, to continue the talk.