Geoffrey, spurred to activity by his deep affection for the girl, took a taxi at once to the Prefecture of Police, and a detective was detailed to go with him to the Gare du Nord and there prosecute inquiries. From the stationmaster they learnt that the person who had booked passengers by the Brussels express on the morning of Sylvia’s departure was a certain Mademoiselle Le Grelle. She was also on duty at the booking-office at that moment; therefore, they at once sought her, and the detective closely questioned her as to whether the young English lady, whom Geoffrey described, had taken a ticket for Brussels on the morning in question.
Mademoiselle reflected for a few moments, and then said:
“Yes, I recollect quite well. A young English lady asked me the quickest route to Brussels. I told her that the quickest was by Maubeuge, but the direct, without change, was by Amiens and Valenciennes. She chose the later route. The lady I mean wore a long pale-grey cloak and a small hat trimmed with blue. She was the only girl from Paris by that train.”
“It was Sylvia!” gasped Falconer. “She has a grey cloak. Then she did go to Brussels—after all!”
“Apparently, m’sieur,” remarked the detective. “It is certainly for the Brussels police to inquire at once whether she arrived there.”
Back at the Grand Hotel he related to Mrs. Beverley Mademoiselle Le Grelle’s statement, her description of her dress, and the small dressing-case she carried.
“Well, Geoffrey,” exclaimed the anxious widow “I’m at my wits’ ends to know what to do, or how to act. My girl has disappeared. Surely she had no secret appointment with anybody?”
“I feel certain she had not,” declared Falconer. “There’s some deep plotting at work somewhere. Of that I’m absolutely convinced. But we now have the first clue to her, and we must follow it up without a moment’s delay.”
“Yes, I agree,” said Mrs. Beverley, standing at the window of her private sitting-room, which looked out upon the busy boulevard. “We at least know that she actually left for Brussels. And if she did—then she went there to meet you.”
“But I sent her no urgent telegram! I wrote to her about a week ago saying that I expected to be back home in ten days—after the official tests were through.”