"Then I wish to place in your hands officially a most mysterious case. We took on a lady last night at Boston, who had a ticket to South Norwalk. As we were approaching that point a short time ago she was notified by the porter. She arose and dressed preparatory to leaving the train. A few minutes later I was hurriedly summoned, when the woman, between hysterical sobs, informed me that she had been robbed."
"Of much?"
"She claims to miss a satchel containing a hundred thousand dollars, in jewelry."
"You have stated that adroitly. She claims to miss! What evidence have you that she has met with any loss at all?"
"Of course we cannot tell about the jewelry, but she did have a satchel, which is now missing. The porter remembers it, and we have searched thoroughly with no success."
"We have stopped at New Haven and at Bridgeport. How many persons have left the train?"
"No one has left the sleepers."
"When you say that no one has left the sleepers, I suppose you mean you saw no one leave?"
"No! I mean just what I said. I have sent the porters through the coaches and they report that all our passengers are in their berths. But here we come to a point. If no one has left the train, then the thief must be aboard?"