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diff --git a/old/ptprp10.txt b/old/ptprp10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a3d6e34 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/ptprp10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11613 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Pit Prop Syndicate, by Croft + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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A Commercial Proposition +5. The Visit of the Girondin +6. A Change of Venue +7. The Ferriby Depot +8. The Unloading of the Girondin +9. The Second Cargo +10. Merriman Becomes Desperate +11. An Unexpected Ally + + +PART TWO THE PROFESSIONALS + +12. Murder! +13. A Promising Clue +14. A Mystifying Discovery +15. Inspector Willis Listens In +16. The Secret of the Syndicate +17. "Archer Plants Stuff" +18. The Bordeaux Lorries +19. Willis Spreads His Net +20. The Double Cross + + + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE SAWMILL ON THE LESQUE + +Seymour Merriman was tired; tired of the jolting saddle of his motor +bicycle, of the cramped position of his arms, of the chug of the +engine, and most of all, of the dreary, barren country through which +he was riding. Early that morning he had left Pau, and with the +exception of an hour and a half at Bayonne, where he had lunched and +paid a short business call, he had been at it ever since. It was now +after five o'clock, and the last post he had noticed showed him he +was still twenty-six kilometers from Bordeaux, where he intended to +spend the night. + +"This confounded road has no end," he thought. "I really must +stretch my legs a bit." + +A short distance in front of him a hump in the white ribbon of the +road with parapet walls narrowing in at each side indicated a bridge. +He cut off his engine and, allowing the machine to coast, brought it +to a stand at the summit. Then dismounting, he slid it back on its +bracket; stretched himself luxuriously, and looked around. + +In both directions, in front of him and behind, the road stretched, +level and monotonous as far as the eye could reach, as he had seen +it stretch, with but few exceptions, during the whole of the day's +run. But whereas farther south it had led through open country, +desolate, depressing wastes of sand and sedge, here it ran through +the heart of a pine forest, in its own way as melancholy. The road +seemed isolated, cut off from the surrounding country, like to be +squeezed out of existence by the overwhelming barrier on either +flank, a screen, aromatic indeed, but dark, gloomy, and forbidding. +Nor was the prospect improved by the long, unsightly gashes which +the resin collectors had made on the trunks, suggesting, as they +did, that the trees were stricken by some disease. To Merriman the +country seemed utterly uninhabited. Indeed, since running through +Labouheyre, now two hours back, he could not recall having seen a +single living creature except those passing in motor cars, and of +these even there were but few. + +He rested his arms on the masonry coping of the old bridge and drew +at his cigarette. But for the distant rumble of an approaching +vehicle, the spring evening was very still. The river curved away +gently towards the left, flowing black and sluggish between its flat +banks, on which the pines grew down to the water's edge. It was +delightful to stay quiet for a few moments, and Merriman took off +his cap and let the cool air blow on his forehead, enjoying the +relaxation. + +He was a pleasant-looking man of about eight-and-twenty, clean +shaven and with gray, honest eyes, dark hair slightly inclined to +curl, and a square, well-cut jaw. Business had brought him to +France. Junior partner in the firm of Edwards & Merriman, Wine +Merchants, Gracechurch Street, London, he annually made a tour of +the exporters with whom his firm dealt. He had worked across the +south of the country from Cette to Pau, and was now about to +recross from Bordeaux to near Avignon, after which his round would +be complete. To him this part of his business was a pleasure, and +he enjoyed his annual trip almost as much as if it had been a +holiday. + +The vehicle which he had heard in the distance was now close by, +and he turned idly to watch it pass. He did not know then that +this slight action, performed almost involuntarily, was to change +his whole life, and not only his, but the lives of a number of +other people of whose existence he was not then aware, was to lead +to sorrow as well as happiness, to crime as well as the vindication +of the law, to . . . in short, what is more to the point, had he +not then looked round, this story would never have been written. + +The vehicle in itself was in no way remarkable. It was a motor +lorry of about five tons capacity, a heavy thing, travelling slowly. +Merriman's attention at first focused itself on the driver. He was +a man of about thirty, good-looking, with thin, clear-cut features, +an aquiline nose, and dark, clever-looking eyes. Dressed though he +was in rough working clothes, there was a something in his +appearance, in his pose, which suggested a man of better social +standing than his occupation warranted. + +"Ex-officer," thought Merriman as his gaze passed on to the lorry +behind. It was painted a dirty green, and was empty except for a +single heavy casting, evidently part of some large and massive +machine. On the side of the deck was a brass plate bearing the +words in English "The Landes Pit-Prop Syndicate, No. 4." Merriman +was somewhat surprised to see a nameplate in his own language in +so unexpected a quarter, but the matter really did not interest +him and he soon dismissed it from his mind. + +The machine chuffed ponderously past, and Merriman, by now rested, +turned to restart his bicycle. But his troubles for the day were +not over. On the ground below his tank was a stain, and even as +he looked, a drop fell from the carburetor feed pipe, followed by +a second and a third. + +He bent down to examine, and speedily found the cause of the trouble. +The feed pipe was connected to the bottom of the tank by a union, +and the nut, working slack, had allowed a small but steady leak. +He tightened the nut and turned to measure the petrol in the tank. +A glance showed him that a mere drain only remained. + +"Curse it all," he muttered, "that's the second time that confounded +nut has left me in the soup." + +His position was a trifle awkward. He was still some twenty-five +kilometers from Bordeaux, and his machine would not carry him more +than perhaps two. Of course, he could stop the first car that +approached, and no doubt borrow enough petrol to make the city, +but all day he had noticed with surprise how few and far between +the cars were, and there was no certainty that one would pass within +a reasonable time. + +Then the sound of the receding lorry, still faintly audible, +suggested an idea. It was travelling so slowly that he might +overtake it before his petrol gave out. It was true he was going +in the wrong direction, and if he failed he would be still farther +from his goal, but when you are twenty-five kilometers from where +you want to be, a few hundred yards more or less is not worth +worrying about. + +He wheeled his machine round and followed the lorry at full speed. +But he had not more than started when he noticed his quarry turning +to the right. Slowly it disappeared into the forest. + +"Funny I didn't see that road," thought Merriman as he bumped along. + +He slackened speed when he reached the place where the lorry had +vanished, and then he saw a narrow lane just wide enough to allow +the big vehicle to pass, which curved away between the tree stems. +The surface was badly cut up with wheel tracks, so much so that +Merriman decided he could not ride it. He therefore dismounted, +hid his bicycle among the trees, and pushed on down the lane on +foot. He was convinced from his knowledge of the country that the +latter must be a cul-de-sac, at the end of which he would find the +lorry. This he could hear not far away, chugging slowly on in front +of him. + +The lane twisted incessantly, apparently to avoid the larger trees. +The surface was the virgin soil of the forest only, but the ruts +had been filled roughly with broken stones. + +Merriman strode on, and suddenly, as he rounded one of the bends, +he got the surprise of his life. + +Coming to meet him along the lane was a girl. This in itself was +perhaps not remarkable, but this girl seemed so out of place amid +such surroundings, or even in such a district, that Merriman was +quite taken aback. + +She was of medium height, slender and graceful as a lily, and +looked about three-and-twenty. She was a study in brown. On her +head was a brown tam, a rich, warm brown, like the brown of autumn +bracken on the moor. She wore a brown jumper, brown skirt, brown +stockings and little brown brogued shoes. As she came closer, +Merriman saw that her eyes, friendly, honest eyes, were a shade of +golden brown, and that a hint of gold also gleamed in the brown of +her hair. She was pretty, not classically beautiful, but very +charming and attractive-looking. She walked with the free, easy +movement of one accustomed to an out-of-door life. + +As they drew abreast Merriman pulled off his cap. + +"Pardon, mademoiselle," he said in his somewhat halting French, "but +can you tell me if I could get some petrol close by?" and in a few +words he explained his predicament. + +She looked him over with a sharp, scrutinizing glance. Apparently +satisfied, she smiled slightly and replied: . + +"But certainly, monsieur. Come to the mill and my father will get +you some. He is the manager." + +She spoke even more haltingly than he had, and with no semblance of +a French accent - the French rather of an English school. He stared +at her. + +"But you're English!" he cried in surprise. + +She laughed lightly. + +"Of course I'm English," she answered. "Why shouldn't I be English? +But I don't think you're very polite about it, you know." + +He apologized in some confusion. It was the unexpectedness of +meeting a fellow-countryman in this out of the way wood . . . It +was . . . He did not mean. . . . + +"You want to say my French is not really so bad after all?" she +said relentlessly, and then: "I can tell you it's a lot better +than when we came here." + +"Then you are a newcomer?" + +"We're not out very long. It's rather a change from London, as you +may imagine. But it's not such a bad country as it looks. At first +I thought it would be dreadful, but I have grown to like it." + +She had turned with him, and they were now walking together between +the tall, straight stems of the trees. + +"I'm a Londoner," said Merriman slowly. "I wonder if we have any +mutual acquaintances?" + +"It's hardly likely. Since my mother died some years ago we have +lived very quietly, and gone out very little." + +Merriman did not wish to appear inquisitive. He made a suitable +reply and, turning the conversation to the country, told her of his +day's ride. She listened eagerly, and it was borne in upon him +that she was lonely, and delighted to have anyone to talk to. She +certainly seemed a charming girl, simple, natural and friendly, and +obviously a lady. + +But soon their walk came to an end. Some quarter of a mile from +the wood the lane debouched into a large, D-shaped clearing. It +had evidently been recently made, for the tops of many of the +tree-stumps dotted thickly over the ground were still white. Round +the semicircle of the forest trees were lying cut, some with their +branches still intact, others stripped clear to long, straight +poles. Two small gangs of men were at work, one felling, the other +lopping. + +Across the clearing, forming its other boundary and the straight +side of the D, ran a river, apparently from its direction that +which Merriman had looked down on from the road bridge. It was +wider here, a fine stretch of water, though still dark colored and +uninviting from the shadow of the trees. On its bank, forming a +center to the cleared semicircle, was a building, evidently the +mill. It was a small place, consisting of a single long narrow +galvanized iron shed, and placed parallel to the river. In front +of the shed was a tiny wharf, and behind it were stacks and stacks +of tree trunks cut in short lengths and built as if for seasoning. +Decauville tramways radiated from the shed, and the men were +running in timber in the trucks. From the mill came the hard, +biting screech of a circular saw. + +"A sawmill!" Merriman exclaimed rather unnecessarily. + +"Yes. We cut pit-props for the English coal mines. Those are they +you see stacked up. As soon as they are drier they will be shipped +across. My father joined with some others in putting up the capital, +and - voila!" She indicated the clearing and its contents with a +comprehensive sweep of her hand. + +"By Jove! A jolly fine notion, too, I should say. You have +everything handy - trees handy, river handy - I suppose from the +look of that wharf that sea-going ships can come up?" + +"Shallow draughted ones only. But we have our own motor ship +specially built and always running. It makes the round trip in +about ten days." + +"By Jove!" Merriman said again. "Splendid! And is that where you +live?" + +He pointed to a house standing on a little hillock near the edge of +the clearing at the far or down-stream side of the mill. It was a +rough, but not uncomfortable-looking building of galvanized iron, +one-storied and with a piazza in front. From a brick chimney a thin +spiral of blue smoke was floating up lazily into the calm air. + +The girl nodded. + +"It's not palatial, but it's really wonderfully comfortable," she +explained, "and oh, the fires! I've never seen such glorious wood +fires as we have. Cuttings, you know. We have more blocks than we +know what to do with." + +"I can imagine. I wish we had 'em in London." + +They were walking not too rapidly across the clearing towards the +mill. At the back of the shed were a number of doors, and opposite +one of them, heading into the opening, stood the motor lorry. The +engine was still running, but the driver had disappeared, apparently +into the building. As the two came up, Merriman once more ran his +eye idly over the vehicle. And then he felt a sudden mild surprise, +as one feels when some unexpected though quite trivial incident +takes place. He had felt sure that this lorry standing at the mill +door was that which had passed him on the bridge, and which he had +followed down the lane. But now he saw it wasn't. He had noted, +idly but quite distinctly, that the original machine was No. 4. +This one had a precisely similar plate, but it bore the legend "The +Landes Pit-Prop Syndicate, No. 3." + +Though the matter was of no importance, Merriman was a little +intrigued, and he looked more closely at the vehicle. As he did so +his surprise grew and his trifling interest became mystification. +The lorry was the same. At least there on the top was the casting, +just as he had seen it. It was inconceivable that two similar +lorries should have two identical castings arranged in the same way, +and at the same time and place. And yet, perhaps it was just +possible. + +But as he looked he noticed a detail which settled the matter. The +casting was steadied by some rough billets of wood. One of these +billets was split, and a splinter of curious shape had partially +entered a bolt hole. He recalled now, though it had slipped from +his memory, that he had noticed that queer-shaped splinter as the +lorry passed him on the bridge. It was therefore unquestionably +and beyond a shadow of doubt the same machine. + +Involuntarily he stopped and stood staring at the number plate, +wondering if his recollection of that seen at the bridge could be +at fault. He thought not. In fact, he was certain. He recalled +the shape of the 4, which had an unusually small hollow in the +middle. There was no shadow of doubt of this either. He remained +motionless for a few seconds, puzzling over the problem, and was +just about to remark on it when the girl broke in hurriedly. + +"Father will be in the office," she said, and her voice was +sharpened as from anxiety. "Won't you come and see him about the +petrol?" + +He looked at her curiously. The smile had gone from her lips, and +her face was pale. She was frowning, and in her eyes there showed +unmistakable fear. She was not looking at him, and his gaze followed +the direction of hers. + +The driver had come out of the shed, the same dark, aquiline-featured +man as had passed him on the bridge. He had stopped and was staring +at Merriman with an intense regard in which doubt and suspicion +rapidly changed to hostility. For a moment neither man moved, and +then once again the girl's voice broke in. + +"Oh, there is father," she cried, with barely disguised relief in +her tones. "Come, won't you, and speak to him." + +The interruption broke the spell. The driver averted his eyes and +stooped over his engine; Merriman turned towards the girl, and the +little incident was over. + +It was evident to Merriman that he had in some way put his foot in +it, how he could not imagine, unless there was really something in +the matter of the number plate. But it was equally clear to him +that his companion wished to ignore the affair, and he therefore +expelled it from his mind for the moment, and once again following +the direction of her gaze, moved towards a man who was approaching +from the far end of the shed. + +He was tall and slender like his daughter, and walked with lithe, +slightly feline movements. His face was oval, clear skinned, and +with a pallid complexion made still paler by his dark hair and eyes +and a tiny mustache, almost black and with waxed and pointed ends. +He was good-looking as to features, but the face was weak and the +expression a trifle shifty. + +His daughter greeted him, still with some perturbation in her manner. + +"We were just looking for you, daddy," she called a little +breathlessly. "This gentleman is cycling to Bordeaux and has run +out of petrol. He asked me if there was any to be had hereabouts, +so I told him you could give him some." + +The newcomer honored Merriman with a rapid though searching and +suspicious glance, but he replied politely, and in a cultured voice: + +"Quite right, my dear." He turned to Merriman and spoke in French. +"I shall be very pleased to supply you, monsieur. How much do you +want?" + +"Thanks awfully, sir," Merriman answered in his own language. "I'm +English. It's very good of you, I'm sure, and I'm sorry to be +giving so much trouble. A liter should run me to Bordeaux, or say +a little more in case of accidents." + +"I'll give you two liters. It's no trouble at all." He turned +and spoke in rapid French to the driver. + +"Oui, monsieur," the man replied, and then, stepping up to his chief, +he said something in a low voice. The other started slightly, for +a moment looked concerned, then instantly recovering himself, +advanced to Merriman. + +"Henri, here, will send a man with a two-liter can to where you +have left your machine," he said, then continued with a suave smile: + +"And so, sir, you're English? It is not often that we have the +pleasure of meeting a fellow-countryman in these wilds." + +"I suppose not, sir, but I can assure you your pleasure and surprise +is as nothing to mine. You are not only a fellow-countryman but a +friend in need as well." + +"My dear sir, I know what it is to run out of spirit. And I suppose +there is no place in the whole of France where you might go farther +without finding any than this very district. You are on pleasure +bent, I presume?" + +Merriman shook his head. + +"Unfortunately, no," he replied. "I'm travelling for my firm, +Edwards & Merriman, Wine Merchants of London. I'm Merriman, Seymour +Merriman, and I'm going round the exporters with whom we deal." + +"A pleasant way to do it, Mr. Merriman. My name is Coburn. You +see I am trying to change the face of the country here?" + +"Yes, Miss" - Merriman hesitated for a moment and looked at the +girl - "Miss Coburn told me what you were doing. A splendid +notion, I think." + +"Yes, I think we are going to make it pay very well. I suppose +you're not making a long stay?" + +"Two days in Bordeaux, sir, then I'm off east to Aviguon." + +"Do you know, I rather envy you. One gets tired of these tree +trunks and the noise of the saws. Ah, there is your petrol." A +workman had appeared with a red can of Shell. "Well, Mr. Merriman, +a pleasant journey to you. You will excuse my not going farther +with you, but I am really supposed to be busy." He turned to his +daughter with a smile. "You, Madeleine, can see Mr. Merriman to +the road?" + +He shook hands, declined Merriman's request to be allowed to pay +for the petrol and, cutting short the other's thanks with a wave +of his arm, turned back to the shed. + +The two young people strolled slowly back across the clearing, +the girl evidently disposed to make the most of the unwonted +companionship, and Merriman no less ready to prolong so delightful +an interview. But in spite of the pleasure of their conversation, +he could not banish from his mind the little incident which had +taken place, and he determined to ask a discreet question or two +about it. + +"I say," he said, during a pause in their talk, "I'm afraid I upset +your lorry man somehow. Did you notice the way he looked at me?" + +The girl's manner, which up to this had been easy and careless, +changed suddenly, becoming constrained and a trifle self-conscious. +But she answered readily enough. + +"Yes, I saw it. But you must not mind Henri. He was badly +shell-shocked, you know, and he has never been the same since." + +"Oh, I'm sorry," Merriman apologized, wondering if the man could +be a relative. "Both my brothers suffered from it. They were +pretty bad, but they're coming all right. It's generally a +question of time, I think." + +"I hope so," Miss Coburn rejoined, and quietly but decisively +changed the subject. + +They began to compare notes about London, and Merriman was sorry +when, having filled his tank and pushed his bicycle to the road, +he could no longer with decency find an excuse for remaining in +her company. He bade her a regretful farewell, and some hall-hour +later was mounting the steps of his hotel in Bordeaux. + +That evening and many times later, his mind reverted to the +incident of the lorry. At the time she made it, Miss Coburn's +statement about the shell-shock had seemed entirely to account +for the action of Henri, the driver. But now Merriman was not +so sure. The more he thought over the affair, the more certain +he felt that he had not made a mistake about the number plate, +and the more likely it appeared that the driver had guessed what +he, Merriman, had noticed, and resented it. It seemed to him +that there was here some secret which the man was afraid might +become known, and Merriman could not but admit to himself that +all Miss Coburn's actions were consistent with the hypothesis +that she also shared that secret and that fear. + +And yet the idea was grotesque that there could be anything serious +in the altering of the number plate of a motor lorry, assuming that +he was not mistaken. Even if the thing had been done, it was a +trivial matter and, so far as he could see, the motives for it, as +well as its consequences, must be trivial. It was intriguing, but +no one could imagine it to be important. As Merriman cycled +eastward through France his interest in the affair gradually waned, +and when, a fortnight later, he reached England, he had ceased to +give it a serious thought + +But the image of Miss Coburn did not so quickly vanish from his +imagination, and many times he regretted he had not taken an +opportunity of returning to the mill to renew the acquaintanceship +so unexpectedly begun. + + + +CHAPTER 2 + +AN INTERESTING SUGGESTION + +About ten o'clock on a fine evening towards the end of June, some +six weeks after the incident described in the last chapter, Merriman +formed one of a group of young men seated round the open window of +the smoking room in the Rovers' Club in Cranbourne Street. They +had dined together, and were enjoying a slack hour and a little +desultory conversation before moving on, some to catch trains to +the suburbs, some to their chambers in town, and others to round +off the evening with some livelier form of amusement. The Rovers +had premises on the fourth floor of a large building near the +Hippodrome. Its membership consisted principally of business and +professional men, but there was also a sprinkling of members of +Parliament, political secretaries, and minor government officials, +who, though its position was not ideal, were attracted to it because +of the moderation of its subscription and the excellence of its +cuisine. + +The evening was calm, and the sounds from the street below seemed +to float up lazily to the little group in the open window, as the +smoke of their pipes and cigars floated up lazily to the ceiling +above. The gentle hum of the traffic made a pleasant accompaniment +to their conversation, as the holding down of a soft pedal fills +in and supports dreamy organ music. But for the six young men in +the bow window the room was untenanted, save for a waiter who had +just brought some fresh drinks, and who was now clearing away empty +glasses from an adjoining table. + +The talk had turned on foreign travel, and more than one member had +related experiences which he had undergone while abroad. Merriman +was tired and had been rather silent, but it was suddenly borne in +on him that it was his duty, as one of the hosts of the evening, to +contribute somewhat more fully towards the conversation. He +determined to relate his little adventure at the sawmill of the +Pit-Prop Syndicate. He therefore lit a fresh cigar, and began to +speak. + +"Any of you fellows know the country just south of Bordeaux?" he +asked, and, as no one responded, he went on: "I know it a bit, for +I have to go through it every year on my trip round the wine +exporters. This year a rather queer thing happened when I was +about half an hour's run from Bordeaux; absolutely a trivial thing +and of no importance, you understand, but it puzzled me. Maybe +some of you could throw some light on it?" + +"Proceed, my dear sir, with your trivial narrative," invited Jelfs, +a man sitting at one end of the group. "We shall give it the +weighty consideration which it doubtless deserves." + +Jelfs was a stockbroker and the professional wit of the party. He +was a good soul, but boring. Merriman took no notice of the +interruption. + +"It was between five and six in the evening," he went on, and he +told in some detail of his day's run, culminating in his visit to +the sawmill and his discovery of the alteration in the number of +the lorry. He gave the facts exactly as they had occurred, with +the single exception that he made no mention of his meeting with +Madeleine Coburn. + +"And what happened?" asked Drake, another of the men, when he had +finished. + +"Nothing more happened," Merriman returned. "The manager came and +gave me some petrol, and I cleared out. The point is, why should +that number plate have been changed?" + +Jelfs fixed his eyes on the speaker, and gave the little sidelong +nod which indicated to the others that another joke was about to +be perpetrated. + +"You say," he asked impressively, "that the lorry was at first 4 +and then 3. Are you sure you haven't made a mistake of 41?" + +"How do you mean?" + +"I mean that it's a common enough phenomenon for a No. 4 lorry to +change, after lunch, let us say, into No. 44. Are you sure it +wasn't 44?" + +Merriman joined in the laughter against him. + +"It wasn't forty-anything, you old blighter," he said good-humoredly. +"It was 4 on the road, and 3 at the mill, and I'm as sure of it as +that you're an amiable imbecile." + +"Inconclusive," murmured Jelfs, "entirely inconclusive. But," he +persisted, "you must not hold back material evidence. You haven't +told us yet what you had at lunch." + +"Oh, stow it, Jelfs," said Hilliard, a thin-faced, eager-looking +young man who had not yet spoken. "Have you no theory yourself, +Merriman?" + +"None. I was completely puzzled. I would have mentioned it before, +only it seemed to be making a mountain out of nothing." + +"I think Jelfs' question should be answered, you know," Drake said +critically, and after some more good-natured chaff the subject +dropped. + +Shortly after one of the men had to leave to catch his train, and +the party broke up. As they left the building Merriman found +Hilliard at his elbow. + +"Are you walking?" the latter queried. "If so I'll come along." + +Claud Hilliard was the son of a clergyman in the Midlands, a keen, +not to say brilliant student who had passed through both school +and college with distinction, and was already at the age of +eight-and-twenty making a name for himself on the headquarters staff +of the Customs Department. His thin, eager face, with its hooked +nose, pale blue eyes and light, rather untidy-looking hair, formed +a true index of his nimble, somewhat speculative mind. What he did, +he did with his might. He was keenly interested in whatever he took +up, showing a tendency, indeed, to ride his hobbies to death. He +had a particular penchant for puzzles of all kinds, and many a +knotty problem brought to him as a last court of appeal received a +surprisingly rapid and complete solution. His detractors, while +admitting his ingenuity and the almost uncanny rapidity with which +he seized on the essential facts of a case, said he was lacking in +staying power, but if this were so, he had not as yet shown signs +of it. + +He and Merriman had first met on business, when Hilliard was sent +to the wine merchants on some matter of Customs. The acquaintanceship +thus formed had ripened into a mild friendship, though the two had +not seen a great deal of each other. + +They passed up Coventry Street and across the Circus into Piccadilly. +Hilliard had a flat in a side street off Knightsbridge, while +Merriman lived farther west in Kensington. At the door of the flat +Hilliard stopped. + +"Come in for a last drink, won't you?" he invited. "It's ages since +you've been here." + +Merriman agreed, and soon the two friends were seated at another +open window in the small but comfortable sitting-room of the flat. + +They chatted for some time, and then Hilliard turned the conversation +to the story Merriman had told in the club. + +"You know," he said, knocking the ash carefully off his cigar, "I +was rather interested in that tale of yours. It's quite an +intriguing little mystery. I suppose it's not possible that you +could have made a mistake about those numbers?" + +Merriman laughed. + +"I'm not exactly infallible, and I have, once or twice in my life, +made mistakes. But I don't think I made one this time. You see, +the only question is the number at the bridge. The number at the +mill is certain. My attention was drawn to it, and I looked at it +too often for there to be the slightest doubt. It was No. 3 as +certainly as I'm alive. But the number at the bridge is different. +There was nothing to draw my attention to it, and I only glanced at +it casually. I would say that I was mistaken about it only for one +thing. It was a black figure on a polished brass ground, and I +particularly remarked that the black lines were very wide, leaving +an unusually small brass triangle in the center. If I noticed that, +it must have been a 4." + +Hilliard nodded. + +"Pretty conclusive, I should say." He paused for a few moments, +then moved a little irresolutely. "Don't think me impertinent, old +man," he went on with a sidelong glance, "but I imagined from your +manner you were holding something back. Is there more in the story +than you told?" + +It was now Merriman's turn to hesitate. Although Madeleine Coburn +had been in his thoughts more or less continuously since he returned +to town, he had never mentioned her name, and he was not sure that +he wanted to now. + +"Sorry I spoke, old man," Hilliard went on. "Don't mind answering." + +Merriman came to a decision. + +"Not at all" he answered slowly. "I'm a fool to make any mystery of +it. I'll tell you. There is a girl there, the manager's daughter. +I met her in the lane when I was following the lorry, and asked her +about petrol. She was frightfully decent; came back with me and +told her father what I wanted, and all that. But, Hilliard, here's +the point. She knew! There's something, and she knows it too. She +got quite scared when that driver fixed me with his eyes, and tried +to get me away, and she was quite unmistakably relieved when the +incident passed. Then later her father suggested she should see me +to the road, and on the way I mentioned the thing - said I was +afraid I had upset the driver somehow - and she got embarrassed at +once, told me the man was shell-shocked, implying that he was queer, +and switched off on to another subject so pointedly I had to let it +go at that." + +Hilliard's eyes glistened. + +"Quite a good little mystery," he said. "I suppose the man couldn't +have been a relation, or even her fiancee?" + +"That occurred to me, and it is possible. But I don't think so. +I believe she wanted to try to account for his manner, so as to +prevent my smelling a rat." + +"And she did not account for it?" + +"Perhaps she did, but again I don't think so. I have a pretty good +knowledge of shell-shock, as you know, and it didn't look like it +to me. I don't suggest she wasn't speaking the truth. I mean that +this particular action didn't seem to be so caused." + +There was silence for a moment, and then Merriman continued: + +"There was another thing which might bear in the same direction, or +again it may only be my imagination - I'm not sure of it. I told +you the manager appeared just in the middle of the little scene, +but I forgot to tell you that the driver went up to him and said +something in a low tone, and the manager started and looked at me +and seemed annoyed. But it was very slight and only for a second; +I would have noticed nothing only for what went before. He was +quite polite and friendly immediately after, and I may have been +mistaken and imagined the whole thing." + +"But it works in," Hilliard commented. "If the driver saw what you +were looking at and your expression, he would naturally guess what +you had noticed, and he would warn his boss that you had tumbled to +it. The manager would look surprised and annoyed for a moment, then +he would see he must divert your suspicion, and talk to you as if +nothing had happened." + +"Quite. That's just what I thought. But again, I may have been +mistaken." + +They continued discussing the matter for some time longer, and then +the conversation turned into other channels. Finally the clocks +chiming midnight aroused Merriman, and he got up and said he must +be going. + +Three days later he had a note from Hilliard. + +"Come in tonight about ten if you are doing nothing," it read. "I +have a scheme on, and I hope you'll join in with me. Tell you when +I see you." + +It happened that Merriman was not engaged that evening, and shortly +after ten the two men were occupying the same arm-chairs at the +same open window, their glasses within easy reach and their cigars +well under way. + +"And what is your great idea?" Merriman asked when they had conversed +for a few moments. "If it's as good as your cigars, I'm on." + +Hilliard moved nervously, as if he found a difficulty in replying. +Merriman could see that he was excited, and his own interest +quickened. + +"It's about that tale of yours," Hilliard said at length. "I've +been thinking it over." + +He paused as if in doubt. Merriman felt like Alice when she had +heard the mock-turtle's story, but he waited in silence, and +presently Hilliard went on. + +"You told it with a certain amount of hesitation," he said. "You +suggested you might be mistaken in thinking there was anything in +it. Now I'm going to make a SUGGESTION with even more hesitation, +for it's ten times wilder than yours, and there is simply nothing +to back it up. But here goes all the same." + +His indecision had passed now, and he went on fluently and with a +certain excitement. + +"Here you have a trade with something fishy about it. Perhaps you +think that's putting it too strongly; if so, let us say there is +something peculiar about it; something, at all events, to call one's +attention to it, as being in some way out of the common. And when +we do think about it, what's the first thing we discover?" + +Hilliard looked inquiringly at his friend. The latter sat listening +carefully, but did not speak, and Hilliard answered his own question. + +"Why, that it's an export trade from France to England - an export +trade only, mind you. As far as you learned, these people's boat +runs the pit-props to England, but carries nothing back. Isn't +that so?" + +"They didn't mention return cargoes," Merriman answered, "but that +doesn't mean there aren't any. I did not go into the thing +exhaustively." + +"But what could there be? What possible thing could be shipped in +bulk from this country to the middle of a wood near Bordeaux? +Something, mind you, that you, there at the very place, didn't see. +Can you think of anything?" + +"Not at the moment. But I don't see what that has to do with it." + +"Quite possibly nothing, and yet it's an INTERESTING point." + +"Don't see it." + +"Well, look here. I've been making inquiries, and I find most of +our pit-props come from Norway and the Baltic. But the ships that +bring them don't go back empty. They carry coal. Now do you see?" + +It was becoming evident that Hilliard was talking of something quite +definite, and Merriman's interest increased still further. + +"I daresay I'm a frightful ass," he said, "but I'm blessed if I +know what you're driving at." + +"Costs," Hilliard returned. "Look at it from the point of view of +costs. Timber in Norway is as plentiful and as cheap to cut as in +the Landes, indeed, possibly cheaper, for there is water there +available for power. But your freight will be much less if you +can get a return cargo. Therefore, a priori, it should be cheaper +to bring props from Norway than from France. Do you follow me so +far?" + +Merriman nodded. + +"If it costs the same amount to cut the props at each place," +Hilliard resumed, "and the Norwegian freight is lower, the +Norwegian props must be cheaper in England. How then do your +friends make it pay?" + +"Methods more up to date perhaps. Things looked efficient, and +that manager seemed pretty wide-awake." + +Hilliard shook his head. + +"Perhaps, but I doubt it. I don't think you have much to teach the +Norwegians about the export of timber. Mind you, it may be all +right, but it seems to me a question if the Bordeaux people have a +paying trade." + +Merriman was puzzled. + +"But it must pay or they wouldn't go on with it. Mr. Coburn said +it was paying well enough." + +Hilliard bent forward eagerly. + +"Of course he would say so," he cried. "Don't you see that his +saying so is in itself suspicious? Why should he want to tell +you that if there was nothing to make you doubt it?" + +"There is nothing to make me doubt it. See here, Hilliard, I don't +for the life of me know what you're getting at. For the Lord's sake +explain yourself." + +"Ah," Hilliard returned with a smile, "you see you weren't brought +up in the Customs. Do you know, Merriman, that the thing of all +others we're keenest on is an import trade that doesn't pay?" He +paused a moment, then added slowly: "Because if a trade which doesn't +pay is continued, there must be something else to make it pay. Just +think, Merriman. What would make a trade from France to this +country pay?" + +Merriman gasped. + +"By Jove, Hilliard! You mean smuggling?" + +Hilliard laughed delightedly. + +"Of course I mean smuggling, what else?" + +He waited for the idea to sink into his companion's brain, and then +went on: + +"And now another thing. Bordeaux, as no one knows better than +yourself, is just the center of the brandy district. You see what +I'm getting at. My department would naturally be interested in a +mysterious trade from the Bordeaux district. You accidentally +find one. See? Now what do you think of it?" + +"I don't think much of it," Merriman answered sharply, while a wave +of unreasoning anger passed over him. The SUGGESTION annoyed him +unaccountably. The vision of Madeleine Coburn's clear, honest eyes +returned forcibly to his recollection. "I'm afraid you're out of +it this time. If you had seen Miss Coburn you would have known she +is not the sort of girl to lend herself to anything of that kind." + +Hilliard eyed his friend narrowly and with some surprise, but he +only said: + +"You think not? Well, perhaps you are right. You've seen her and +I haven't. But those two points are at least INTERESTING - the +changing of the numbers and the absence of a return trade." + +"I don't believe there's anything in it." + +"Probably you're right, but the idea interests me. I was going to +make a proposal, but I expect now you won't agree to it." + +Merriman's momentary annoyance was subsiding. + +"Let's hear it anyway, old man," he said in conciliatory tones. + +"You get your holidays shortly, don't you?" + +"Monday week. My partner is away now, but he'll be back on +Wednesday. I go next." + +"I thought so. I'm going on mine next week - taking the motor +launch, you know. I had made plans for the Riviera - to go by the +Seine, and from there by canal to the Rhone and out at Marseilles. +Higginson was coming with me, but as you know he's crocked up and +won't be out of bed for a month. My proposal is that you come in +his place, and that instead of crossing France in the orthodox way +by the Seine, we try to work through from Bordeaux by the Garonne. +I don't know if we can do it, but it would be rather fun trying. +But anyway the point would be that we should pay a call at your +sawmill on the way, and see if we can learn anything more about +the lorry numbers. What do you say?" + +"Sounds jolly fascinating." Merriman had quite recovered his good +humor. "But I'm not a yachtsman. I know nothing about the +business." + +"Pooh! What do you want to know? We're not sailing, and motoring +through these rivers and canals is great sport. And then we can +go on to Monte and any of those places you like. I've done it +before and had no end of a good time. What do you say? Are you on?" + +"It's jolly decent of you, I'm sure, Hilliard. If you think you +can put up with a hopeless landlubber, I'm certainly on." + +Merriman was surprised to find how much he was thrilled by the +proposal. He enjoyed boating, though only very mildly, and it was +certainly not the prospect of endless journeyings along the canals +and rivers of France that attracted him. Still less was it the +sea, of which he hated the motion. Nor was it the question of the +lorry numbers. He was puzzled and interested in the affair, and +he would like to know the solution, but his curiosity was not +desperately keen, and he did not feel like taking a great deal of +trouble to satisfy it. At all events he was not going to do any +spying, if that was what Hilliard wanted, for he did not for a +moment accept that smuggling theory. But when they were in the +neighborhood he supposed it would be permissible to call and see +the Coburns. Miss Coburn had seemed lonely. It would be decent +to try to cheer her up. They might invite her on board, and have +tea and perhaps a run up the river. He seemed to visualize the +launch moving easily between the tree-clad banks, Hilliard attending +to the engine and steering, he and the brown-eyed girl in the +taffrail, or the cockpit, or the well, or whatever you sat in on a +motor boat. He pictured a gloriously sunny afternoon, warm and +delightful, with just enough air made by the movement to prevent it +being too hot. It would . . . + +Hilliard's voice broke in on his thoughts, and he realized his +friend had been speaking for some time. + +"She's over-engined, if anything," he was saying, "but that's all +to the good for emergencies. I got fifteen knots out of her once, +but she averages about twelve. And good in a sea-way, too. For +her size, as dry a boat as ever I was in." + +"What size is she?" asked Merriman. + +"Thirty feet, eight feet beam, draws two feet ten. She'll go down +any of the French canals. Two four-cylinder engines, either of +which will run her. Engines and wheel amidships, cabin aft, decked +over. Oh, she's a beauty. You'll like her, I can tell you." + +"But do you mean to tell me you would cross the Bay of Biscay in a +boat that size?" + +"The Bay's maligned. I've been across it six times and it was only +rough once. Of course, I'd keep near the coast and run for shelter +if it came on to blow. You need not worry. She's as safe as a +house." + +"I'm not worrying about her going to the bottom," Merriman answered. +"It's much worse than that. The fact is," he went on in a burst of +confidence, "I can't stand the motion. I'm ill all the time. +Couldn't I join you later?" + +Hilliard nodded. + +"I had that in my mind, but I didn't like to suggest it. As a +matter of fact it would suit me better. You see, I go on my +holidays a week earlier than you. I don't want to hang about all +that time waiting for you. I'll get a man and take the boat over +to Bordeaux, send the man home, and you can come overland and join +me there. How would that suit you?" + +"A1, Hilliard. Nothing could be better." + +They continued discussing details for the best part of an hour, and +when Merriman left for home it had been arranged that he should +follow Hilliard by the night train from Charing Cross on the +following Monday week. + + + + +CHAPTER 3 + +THE START OF THE CRUISE + +Dusk was already falling when the 9 p.m. Continental boat-train +pulled out of Charing Cross, with Seymour Merriman in the corner +of a first-class compartment. It had been a glorious day of clear +atmosphere and brilliant sunshine, and there was every prospect of +a spell of good weather. Now, as the train rumbled over the bridge +at the end of the station, sky and river presented a gorgeous color +scheme of crimson and pink and gold, shading off through violet +and gray to nearly black. Through the latticing of the girders the +great buildings on the northern bank showed up for a moment against +the light beyond, dark and somber masses with nicked and serrated +tops, then, the river crossed, nearer buildings intervened to cut +off the view, and the train plunged into the maze and wilderness +of South London. + +The little pleasurable excitement which Merriman had experienced +when first the trip had been suggested had not waned as the novelty +of the idea passed. Not since he was a boy at school had he looked +forward so keenly to holidays. The launch, for one thing, would be +a new experience. He had never been on any kind of cruise. The +nearest approach had been a couple of days' yachting on the Norfolk +Broads, but he had found that monotonous and boring, and had been +glad when it was over. But this, he expected, would be different. +He delighted in poking about abroad, not in the great cosmopolitan +hotels, which after all are very much the same all the world over, +but where he came in contact with actual foreign life. And how +better could a country be seen than by slowly motoring through its +waterways? Merriman was well pleased with the prospect. + +And then there would be Hilliard. Merriman had always enjoyed his +company, and he felt he would be an ideal companion on a tour. It +was true Hilliard had got a bee in his bonnet about this lorry +affair. Merriman was mildly interested in the thing, but he would +never have dreamed of going back to the sawmill to investigate. But +Hilliard seemed quite excited about it. His attitude, no doubt, +might be partly explained by his love of puzzles and mysteries. +Perhaps also he half believed in his absurd SUGGESTION about the +smuggling, or at least felt that if it were true there was the +chance of his making some coup which would also make his name. How +a man's occupation colors his mind! thought Merriman. Here was +Hilliard, and because he was in the Customs his ideas ran to Customs +operations, and when he came across anything he did not understand +he at once suggested smuggling. If he had been a soldier he would +have guessed gun-running, and if a politician, a means of bringing +anarchist literature into the country. Well, he had not seen +Madeleine Coburn! He would soon drop so absurd a notion when he +had met her. The idea of her being party to such a thing was too +ridiculous even to be annoying. + +However, Hilliard insisted on going to the mill, and he, Merriman, +could then pay that call on the Coburns. It would not be polite +to be in the neighborhood and not do so. And it would be impossible +to call without asking Miss Coburn to come on the river. As the +train rumbled on through the rapidly darkening country Merriman +began once again to picture the details of that excursion. No +doubt they could have tea on board. . . . He mustn't forget to buy +some decent cakes in Bordeaux. . . . Perhaps she would help him to +get it ready while Hilliard steered and pottered over his old +engines. . . . He could just imagine her bending over a tea tray, +her graceful figure, the little brown tendrils of her hair at the +edge of her tam-o'-shanter, her brown eyes flashing up to meet his +own. . . . + +Dover came unexpectedly soon and Merriman had to postpone the +further consideration of his plans until he had gone on board the +boat and settled down in a corner of the smoker room. There, however, +he fell asleep, not awaking until roused by the bustle of the +arrival in Calais. + +"He reached Paris just before six and drove to the Gare d'-Orsay, +where he had time for a bath and breakfast before catching the +7.50 a.m. express for Bordeaux. Again it was a perfect day, and +as the hours passed and they ran steadily southward through the +pleasing but monotonous central plain of France, the heat grew more +and more oppressive. Poitiers was hot, Angouleme an oven, and +Merriman was not sorry when at a quarter to five they came in sight +of the Garonne at the outskirts of Bordeaux and a few moments later +pulled up in the Bastide Station. + +Hilliard was waiting at the platform barrier. + +"Hallo, old man," he cried. "Jolly to see you. Give me one of +your handbags. I've got a taxi outside." + +Merriman handed over the smaller of the two small suitcases he +carried, having, in deference to Hilliard's warnings, left behind +most of the things he wanted to bring. They found the taxi and +drove out at once across the great stone bridge leading from the +Bastide Station and suburb on the east bank to the main city on +the west. In front of them lay the huge concave sweep of quays +fronting the Garonne, here a river of over a quarter of a mile in +width, with behind the massed buildings of the town, out of which +here and there rose church spires and, farther down-stream, the +three imposing columns of the Place des Quinconces. + +"Some river, this," Merriman said, looking up and down the great +sweep of water. + +"Rather. I have the Swallow 'longside a private wharf farther +up-stream. Rather tumble-down old shanty, but it's easier than +mooring in the stream and rowing out. We'll go and leave your +things aboard, and then we can come up town again and get some +dinner." + +"Right-o," Merriman agreed. + +Having crossed the bridge they turned to the left, upstream, and +ran along the quays towards the south. After passing the railway +bridge the taxi swung down towards the water's edge, stopping at +a somewhat decrepit enclosure, over the gate of which was the +legend "Andre Leblanc, Location de Canots." Hilliard jumped out, +paid the taxi man, and, followed by Merriman, entered the +enclosure. + +It was a small place, with a wooden quay along the river frontage +and a shed at the opposite side. Between the two lay a number of +boats. Trade appeared to be bad, for there was no life about the +place and everything was dirty and decaying. + +"There she is," Hilliard cried, with a ring of pride in his voice. +"Isn't she a beauty?" + +The Swallow was tied up alongside the wharf, her bow upstream, and +lay tugging at her mooring ropes in the swift run of the ebb tide. +Merriman's first glance at her was one of disappointment. He had +pictured a graceful craft of well-polished wood, with white deck +planks, shining brasswork and cushioned seats. Instead he saw a +square-built, clumsy-looking boat, painted, where the paint was not +worn off, a sickly greenish white, and giving a general impression +of dirt and want of attention. She was flush-decked, and sat high +in the water, with a freeboard of nearly five feet. A little +forward of amidships was a small deck cabin containing a brass wheel +and binnacle. Aft of the cabin, in the middle of the open space of +the deck, was a skylight, the top of which formed two short seats +placed back to back. Forward rose a stumpy mast carrying a lantern +cage near the top, and still farther forward, almost in the bows, +lay an unexpectedly massive anchor, housed in grids, with behind it +a small hand winch for pulling in the chain. + +"We had a bit of a blow coming round the Coubre into the river," +Hilliard went on enthusiastically, "and I tell you she didn't ship +a pint. The cabin bone dry, and green water coming over her all +the time." + +Merriman could believe it. Though his temporary home was not +beautiful, he could see that she was strong; in fact, she was +massive. But he thanked his stars he had not assisted in the test. +He shuddered at the very idea, thinking gratefully that to reach +Bordeaux the Paris-Orleans Railway was good enough for him. + +But, realizing it was expected of him, he began praising the boat, +until the unsuspecting Hilliard believed him as enthusiastic as +himself. + +"Yes, she's all of that," he agreed. "Come aboard and see the +cabin." + +They descended a flight of steps let into the front of the wharf, +wet, slippery, ooze-covered steps left bare by the receding tide, +and stepping over the side entered the tiny deckhouse. + +"This is the chart-house, shelter, and companion-way all in one," +Hilliard explained. "All the engine controls come up here, and I +can reach them with my left hand while steering with my right." +He demonstrated as he spoke, and Merriman could not but agree that +the arrangements were wonderfully compact and efficient. + +"Come below now," went on the proud owner, disappearing down a +steep flight of steps against one wall of the house. + +The hull was divided into three compartments; amidships the engine +room with its twin engines, forward a store containing among other +things a collapsible boat, and aft a cabin with lockers on each +side, a folding table between them, and a marble-topped cupboard +on which was a Primus stove. + +The woodwork was painted the same greenish white as the outside, +but it was soiled and dingy, and the whole place looked dirty and +untidy. There was a smell of various oils, paraffin predominating. + +"You take the port locker," Hilliard explained. "You see, the top +of it lifts and you can stow your things in it. When there are +only two of us we sleep on the lockers. You'll find a sheet and +blankets inside. There's a board underneath that turns up to keep +you in if she's rolling; not that we shall want it until we get to +the Mediterranean. I'm afraid," he went on, answering Merriman's +unspoken thought, "the place is not very tidy. I hadn't time to +do much squaring - I'll tell you about that later. I suppose" + - reluctantly - "we had better turn to and clean up a bit before +we go to bed. But" - brightening up again - "not now. Let's go +up town and get some dinner as soon as you are ready." + +He fussed about, explaining with the loving and painstaking +minuteness of the designer as well as the owner, the various +contraptions the boat contained, and when he had finished, +Merriman felt that, could he but remember his instructions, +there were few situations with which he could not cope or by +which he could be taken unawares. + +A few minutes later the two friends climbed once more up the +slippery steps, and, strolling slowly up the town, entered one of +the large restaurants in the Place de la Comedie. + +Since Merriman's arrival Hilliard had talked vivaciously, and his +thin, hawk-like face had seemed even more eager than the wine +merchant had ever before seen it. At first the latter had put it +down to the natural interest of his own arrival, the showing of the +boat to a new-comer, and the start of the cruise generally, but as +dinner progressed he began to feel there must be some more tangible +cause for the excitement his friend was so obviously feeling. It +was not Merriman's habit to beat about the bush. + +"What is it?" he asked during a pause in the conversation. + +"What is what?" returned Hilliard, looking uncomprehendingly at his +friend. + +"Wrong with you. Here you are, jumping about as if you were on +pins and needles and gabbling at the rate of a thousand words a +minute. What's all the excitement about?" + +"I'm not excited," Hilliard returned seriously, "but I admit being +a little interested by what has happened since we parted that night +in London. I haven't told you yet. I was waiting until we had +finished dinner and could settle down. Let's go and sit in the +Jardin and you shall hear." + +Leaving the restaurant, they strolled to the Place des Quinconces, +crossed it, and entered the Jardin Public. The band was not +playing and, though there were a number of people about, the place +was by no means crowded, and they were able to find under a large +tree set back a little from one of the walks, two vacant chairs. +Here they sat down, enjoying the soft evening air, warm but no +longer too warm, and watching the promenading Bordelais. + +"Yes," Hilliard resumed as he lit a cigar, "I have had quite an +INTERESTING time. You shall hear. I got hold of Maxwell of the +telephones, who is a yachtsman, and who was going to Spain on +holidays. Well, the boat was laid up at Southampton, and we got +down about midday on Monday week. We spent that day overhauling +her and getting in stores, and on Tuesday we ran down Channel, +putting into Dartmouth for the night and to fill with petrol. Next +day was our big day - across to Brest, something like 170 miles, +mostly open sea, and with Ushant at the end of it - a beastly place, +generally foggy and always with bad currents. We intended to wait +in the Dart for good weather, and we wired the Meteorological Office +for forecasts. It happened that on Tuesday night there was a +first-rate forecast, so on Wednesday we decided to risk it. We +slipped out past the old castle at Dartmouth at 5 a.m., had a +topping run, and were in Brest at seven that evening. There we +filled up again, and next day, Thursday, we made St. Nazaire, at +the mouth of the Loire. We had intended to make a long day of it +on Friday and come fight here, but as I told you it came on to +blow a bit off the Coubre, and we could only make the mouth of the +river. We put into a little place called Le Verdon, just inside +the Pointe de Grave - that's the end of that fork of land on the +southern side of the Gironde estuary. On Saturday we got here +about midday, hunted around, found that old wharf and moored. +Maxwell went on the same evening to Spain." + +Hilliard paused, while Merriman congratulated him on his journey. + +"Yes, we hadn't bad luck," he resumed. "But that really wasn't what +I wanted to tell you about. I had brought a fishing rod and outfit, +and on Sunday I took a car and drove out along the Bayonne Road +until I came to your bridge over that river - the Lesque I find it +is. I told the chap to come back for me at six, and I walked down +the river and did a bit of prospecting. The works were shut, and by +keeping the mill building between me and the manager's house, I got +close up and had a good look round unobserved - at least, I think I +was unobserved. Well, I must say the whole business looked genuine. +There's no question those tree cuttings are pit-props, and I couldn't +see a single thing in the slightest degree suspicious." + +"I told you there could be nothing really wrong," Merriman +interjected. + +"I know you did, but wait a minute. I got back to the forest again +in the shelter of the mill building, and I walked around through +the trees and chose a place for what I wanted to do next morning. +I had decided to spend the day watching the lorries going to and +from the works, and I naturally wished to remain unobserved myself. +The wood, as you know, is very open. The trees are thick, but there +is very little undergrowth, and it's nearly impossible to get decent +cover. But at last I found a little hollow with a mound between it +and the lane and road - just a mere irregularity in the surface +like what a Tommy would make when he began to dig himself in. I +thought I could lie there unobserved, and see what went on with my +glass. I have a very good prism monocular - twenty-five diameter +magnification, with a splendid definition. From my hollow I could +just see through the trees vehicles passing along the main road, +but I had a fairly good view of the lane for at least half its +length. The view, of course, was broken by the stems, but still +I should be able to tell if any games were tried on. I made some +innocent looking markings so as to find the place again, and then +went back to the river and so to the bridge and my taxi." + +Hilliard paused and drew at his cigar. Merriman did not speak. +He was leaning forward, his face showing the interest he felt. + +"Next morning, that was yesterday, I took another taxi and returned +to the bridge, again dressed as a fisherman. I had brought some +lunch, and I told the man to return for me at seven in the evening. +Then I found my hollow, lay down and got out my glass. I was +settled there a little before nine o'clock. + +"It was very quiet in the wood. I could hear faintly the noise of +the saws at the mill and a few birds were singing, otherwise it was +perfectly still. Nothing happened for about half an hour, then the +first lorry came. I heard it for some time before I saw it. It +passed very slowly along the road from Bordeaux, then turned into +the lane and went along it at almost walking pace. With my glass I +could see it distinctly and it had a label plate same as you +described, and was No. 6. It was empty. The driver was a young +man, clean-shaven and fairhaired. + +"A few minutes later a second empty lorry appeared coming from +Bordeaux. It was No. 4, and the driver was, I am sure, the man you +saw. He was like your description of him at all events. This lorry +also passed along the lane towards the works. + +"There was a pause then for an hour or more. About half-past ten +the No. 4 lorry with your friend appeared coming along the lane +outward bound. It was heavily loaded with firewood and I followed +it along, going very slowly and bumping over the inequalities of +the lane. When it got to a point about a hundred yards from the +road, at, I afterwards found, an S curve which cut off the view in +both directions, it stopped and the driver got down. I need not +tell you that I watched him carefully and, Merriman, what do you, +think I saw him do?" + +"Change the number plate?" suggested Merriman with a smile. + +"Change the number plate!" repeated Hilliard. "As I'm alive, that's +exactly what he did. First on one side and then on the other. He +changed the 4 to a 1. He took the 1 plates out of his pocket and +put the 4 plates back instead, and the whole thing just took a +couple of seconds, as if the plates slipped ln and out of a holder. +Then he hopped up into his place again and started off. What do you +think of that?" + +"Goodness only knows," Merriman returned slowly. "An extraordinary +business." + +"Isn't it? Well, that lorry went on out of sight. I waited there +until after six, and four more passed. About eleven o'clock No. 6 +with the clean-shaven driver passed out, loaded, so far as I could +see, with firewood. That was the one that passed in empty at nine. +Then there was a pause until half past two, when your friend returned +with his lorry. It was empty this time, and it was still No. 1. But +I'm blessed, Merriman, if he didn't stop at the same place and change +the number back to 4!" + +"Lord!" said Merriman tersely, now almost as much interested as his +friend. + +"It only took a couple of seconds, and then the machine lumbered on +towards the mill. I was pretty excited, I can tell you, but I +decided to sit tight and await developments. The next thing was the +return of No. 6 lorry and the clean-shaven driver. You remember it +had started out loaded at about eleven. It came back empty shortly +after the other, say about a quarter to three. It didn't stop and +there was no change made with its number. Then there was another +pause. At half past three your friend came out again with another +load. This time he was driving No. 1, and I waited to see him stop +and change it. But he didn't do either. Sailed away with the number +remaining 1. Queer, isn't it?" + +Merriman nodded and Hilliard resumed. + +"I stayed where I was, still watching, but I saw no more lorries. +But I saw Miss Coburn pass about ten minutes later - at least I +presume it was Miss Coburn. She was dressed in brown, and was +walking smartly along the lane towards the road. In about an hour +she passed back. Then about five minutes past five some workmen +went by - evidently the day ends at five. I waited until the coast +was clear, then went down to the lane and had a look round where +the lorry had stopped and saw it was a double bend and therefore +the most hidden point. I walked back through the wood to the +bridge, picked up my taxi and got back here about half past seven." + +There was silence for some minutes after Hilliard ceased speaking, +then Merriman asked: + +"How long did you say those lorries were away unloading?" + +"About four hours." + +"That would have given them time to unload in Bordeaux?" + +"Yes; an hour and a half, the same out, and an hour in the city. +Yes, that part of it is evidently right enough." + +Again silence reigned, and again Merriman broke it with a question. + +"You have no theory yourself?" + +"Absolutely none." + +"Do you think that driver mightn't have some private game of his +own on - be somehow doing the syndicate?" + +"What about your own argument?" answered Hilliard. "Is it likely +Miss Coburn would join the driver in anything shady? Remember, +your impression was that she knew." + +Merriman nodded. + +"That's right," he agreed, continuing slowly: "Supposing for a +moment it was smuggling. How would that help you to explain this +affair?" + +"It wouldn't. I can get no light anywhere." + +The two men smoked silently, each busy with his thoughts. A certain +aspect of the matter which had always lain subconsciously in +Merriman's mind was gradually taking concrete form. It had not +assumed much importance when the two friends were first discussing +their trip, but now that they were actually at grips with the affair +it was becoming more obtrusive, and Merriman felt it must be faced. +He therefore spoke again. + +"You know, old man, there's one thing I'm not quite clear about. +This affair that you've discovered is extraordinarily INTERESTING +and all that, but I'm hanged if I can see what business of ours it +is." + +Hilliard nodded swiftly. + +"I know," he answered quickly. "The same thing has been bothering +me. I felt really mean yesterday when that girl came by, as if I +were spying on her, you know. I wouldn't care to do it again. But +I want to go on to this place and see into the thing farther, and +so do you." + +"I don't know that I do specially." + +"We both do," Hilliard reiterated firmly, "and we're both justified. +See here. Take my case first. I'm in the Customs Department, and +it is part of my job to investigate suspicious import trades. Am +I not justified in trying to find out if smuggling is going on? Of +course I am. Besides, Merriman, I can't pretend not to know that +if I brought such a thing to light I should be a made man. Mind +you, we're not out to do these people any harm, only to make sure +they're not harming us. Isn't that sound?" + +"That may be all right for you, but I can't see that the affair is +any business of mine." + +"I think it is." Hilliard spoke very quietly. "I think it's your +business and mine - the business of any decent man. There's a chance +that Miss Coburn may be in danger. We should make sure." + +Merriman sat up sharply. + +"In Heaven's name, what do you mean, Hilliard?" he cried fiercely. +"What possible danger could she be in?" + +"Well, suppose there is something wrong - only suppose, I say," as +the other shook his head impatiently. "If there is, it'll be on a +big scale, and therefore the men who run it won't be over squeamish. +Again, if there's anything, Miss Coburn knows about it. Oh, yes, +she does," he repeated as Merriman would have dissented, "there is +your own evidence. But if she knows about some large, shady +undertaking, she undoubtedly may be in both difficulty and danger. +At all events, as long as the chance exists it's up to us to make +sure." + +Merriman rose to his feet and began to pace up and down, his head +bent and a frown on his face. Hilliard took no notice of him and +presently he came back and sat down again. + +"You may be right," he said. "I'll go with you to find that out, +and that only. But I'll not do any spying." + +Hilliard was satisfied with his diplomacy. "I quite see your point," +he said smoothly, "and I confess I think you are right. We'll go +and take a look round, and if we find things are all right we'll +come away again and there's no harm done. That agreed?" + +Merriman nodded. + +"What's the program then?" he asked. + +"I think tomorrow we should take the boat round to the Lesque. It's +a good long run and we mustn't be late getting away. Would five be +too early for you?" + +"Five? No, I don't mind if we start now." + +"The tide begins to ebb at four. By five we shall get the best of +its run. We should be out of the river by nine, and in the Lesque +by four in the afternoon. Though that mill is only seventeen miles +from here as the crow flies, it's a frightful long way round by sea, +most of 130 miles, I should say." Hilliard looked at his watch. +"Eleven o'clock. Well, what about going back to the Swallow and +turning in?" + +They left the Jardin, and, sauntering slowly through the well-lighted +streets, reached the launch and went on board. + + + +CHAPTER 4 + +A COMMERCIAL PROPOSITION + +Merriman was roused next morning by the feeling rather than the +sound of stealthy movements going on not far away. He had not +speedily slept after turning in. The novelty of his position, as +well as the cramped and somewhat knobby bed made by the locker, +and the smell of oils, had made him restless. But most of all +the conversation be had had with Hilliard had banished sleep, and +he had lain thinking over the adventure to which they had committed +themselves, and listening to the little murmurings and gurglings of +the water running past the piles and lapping on the woodwork beside +his head. The launch kept slightly on the move, swinging a little +backwards and f0rwards in the current as it alternately tightened +and slackened its mooring ropes, and occasionally quivering gently +as it touched the wharf. Three separate times Merriman had heard +the hour chimed by the city clocks, and then at last a delightful +drowsiness crept over him, and consciousness had gradually slipped +away. But immediately this shuffling had begun, and with a feeling +of injury he roused himself to learn the cause. Opening his eyes +he found the cabin was full of light from the dancing reflections +of sunlit waves on the ceiling, and that Hilliard, dressing on the +opposite locker, was the author of the sounds which had disturbed +him. + +"Good!" cried the latter cheerily. "You're awake? Quarter to five +and a fine day." + +"Couldn't be," Merriman returned, stretching himself luxuriously. +"I heard it strike two not ten seconds ago." + +Hilliard laughed. + +"Well, it's time we were under way anyhow," he declared. "Tide's +running out this hour. We'll get a fine lift down to the sea." + +Merriman got up and peeped out of the porthole above his locker. + +"I suppose you tub over the side?" he inquired. "Lord, what +sunlight!" + +"Rather. But I vote we wait an hour or so until we're clear of the +town. I fancy the water will be more inviting lower down. We could +stop and have a swim, and then we should be ready for breakfast." + +"Right-o. You get way on her, or whatever you do, and I shall have +a shot at clearing up some of the mess you keep here." + +Hilliard left the cabin, and presently a racketing noise and +vibration announced that the engines had been started. This +presently subsided into a not unpleasing hum, after which a +hail came from forward. + +"Lend a hand to cast off, like a stout fellow." + +Merriman hurriedly completed his dressing and went on deck, stopping +in spite of himself to look around before attending to the ropes. +The sun was low down over the opposite bank, and transformed the +whole river down to the railway bridge into a sheet of blinding +light. Only the southern end of the great structure was visible +stretching out of the radiance, as well as the houses on the western +bank, but these showed out with incredible sharpness in high lights +and dark shadows. From where they were lying they could not see the +great curve of the quays, and the town in spite of the brilliancy of +the atmosphere looked drab and unattractive. + +"Going to be hot," Hilliard remarked. "The bow first, if you don't +mind." + +He started the screw, and kept the launch alongside the wharf while +Merriman cast off first the bow and then the stern ropes. Then, +steering out towards the middle of the river, he swung round and they +began to slip rapidly downstream with the current. + +After passing beneath the huge mass of the railway bridge they got +a better view of the city, its rather unimposing buildings clustering +on the great curve of the river to the left, and with the fine stone +bridge over which they had driven on the previous evening stretching +across from bank to bank in front of them. Slipping through one of +its seventeen arches, they passed the long lines of quays with their +attendant shipping, until gradually the houses got thinner and they +reached the country beyond. + +About a dozen miles below the town Hilliard shut off the engines, +and when the launch had come to rest on the swift current they had a +glorious dip - in turn. Then the odor of hot ham mingled in the +cabin with those of paraffin and burned petrol, and they had an even +more glorious breakfast. Finally the engines were restarted, and +they pressed steadily down the ever-widening estuary. + +About nine they got their first glimpse of the sea horizon, and, +shortly after, a slight heave gave Merriman a foretaste of what he +must soon expect. The sea was like a mill pond, but as they came out +from behind the Pointe de Grave they began to feel the effect of the +long, slow ocean swell. As soon as he dared Hilliard turned +southwards along the coast. This brought the swells abeam, but so +large were they in relation to the launch that she hardly rolled, but +was raised and lowered bodily on an almost even keel. Though Merriman +was not actually ill, he was acutely unhappy and experienced a thrill +of thanksgiving when, about five o'clock, they swung round east and +entered the estuary of the Lesque. + +"Must go slowly here," Hilliard explained, as the banks began to +draw together. "There's no sailing chart of this river, and we +shall have to feel our way up." + +For some two miles they passed through a belt of sand dunes, great +yellow hillocks shaded with dark green where grasses had seized a +precarious foothold. Behind these the country grew flatter, and +small, blighted-looking shrubs began to appear, all leaning +eastwards in witness of the devastating winds which blew in from +the sea. Farther on these gave place to stunted trees, and by the +time they had gone ten or twelve miles they were in the pine forest. +Presently they passed under a girder bridge, carrying the railway +from Bordeaux to Bayonne and the south. + +"We can't be far from the mill now," said Hilliard a little later. +"I reckoned it must be about three miles above the railway." + +They were creeping up very slowly against the current. The engines, +running easily, were making only a subdued murmur inaudible at any +considerable distance. The stream here was narrow, not more than +about a hundred yards across, and the tall, straight-stemmed pines +grew down to the water's edge on either side. Already, though it +was only seven o'clock, it was growing dusk in the narrow channel, +and Hilliard was beginning to consider the question of moorings for +the night. + +"We'll go round that next bend," he decided, "and look for a place +to anchor." + +Some five minutes later they steered close in against a rapidly +shelving bit of bank, and silently lowered the anchor some twenty +feet from the margin. + +"Jove! I'm glad to have that anchor down," Hilliard remarked, +stretching himself. "Here's eight o'clock, and we've been at it +since five this morning. Let's have supper and a pipe, and then +we'll discuss our plans." + +"And what are your plans?" Merriman asked, when an hour later they +were lying on their lockers, Hilliard with his pipe and Merriman +with a cigar. + +"Tomorrow I thought of going up in the collapsible boat until I +came to the works, then landing on the other bank and watching what +goes on at the mill. I thought of taking my glass and keeping cover +myself. After what you said last night you probably won't care to +come, and I was going to suggest that if you cared to fish you would +find everything you wanted in that forward locker. In the evening we +could meet here and I would tell you if I saw anything INTERESTING." + +Merriman took his cigar from his lips and sat up on the locker. + +"Look here, old man," he said, "I'm sorry I was a bit ratty last +night. I don't know what came over me. I've been thinking of what +you said, and I agree that your view is the right one. I've decided +that if you'll have me, I'm in this thing until we're both satisfied +there's nothing going to hurt either Miss Coburn or our own country." + +Hilliard sprang to his feet and held out his hand. + +"Cheers!" he cried. "I'm jolly glad you feel that way. That's all +I want to do too. But I can't pretend my motives are altogether +disinterested. Just think of the kudos for us both if there should +be something." + +"I shouldn't build too much on it." + +"I'm not, but there is always the possibility." + +Next morning the two friends got out the collapsible boat, locked +up the launch, and paddling gently up the river until the galvanized +gable of the Coburns' house came in sight through the trees, went +ashore on the opposite bank. The boat they took to pieces and hid +under a fallen trunk, then, screened by the trees, they continued +their way on foot. + +It was still not much after seven, another exquisitely clear morning +giving promise of more heat. The wood was silent though there was +a faint stir of life all around them, the hum of invisible insects, +the distant singing of birds as well as the murmur of the flowing +water. Their footsteps fell soft on the carpet of scant grass and +decaying pine needles. There seemed a hush over everything, as if +they were wandering amid the pillars of some vast cathedral with, +instead of incense, the aromatic smell of the pines in their nostrils. +They walked on, repressing the desire to step on tiptoe, until +through the trees they could see across the river the galvanized +iron of the shed. + +A little bit higher up-stream the clearing of the trees had allowed +some stunted shrubs to cluster on the river bank. These appearing +to offer good cover, the two men crawled forward and took up a +position in their shelter. + +The bank they were on was at that point slightly higher than on +the opposite side, giving them an excellent view of the wharf and +mill as well as of the clearing generally. The ground, as has +already been stated, was in the shape of a D, the river bounding +the straight side. About half-way up this straight side was the +mill, and about half-way between it and the top were the shrubs +behind which the watchers were seated. At the opposite side of +the mill from the shrubs, at the bottom of the D pillar, the +Coburns' house stood on a little knoll. + +"Jolly good observation post, this," Hilliard remarked as he +stretched himself at ease and laid his glass on the ground beside +him. "They'll not do much that we shall miss from here." + +"There doesn't seem to be much to miss at present," Merriman +answered, looking idly over the deserted space. + +About a quarter to eight a man appeared where the lane from the +road debouched into the clearing. He walked towards the shed, to +disappear presently behind it. Almost immediately blue smoke began +issuing from the metal chimney in the shed roof. It was evident he +had come before the others to get up steam. + +In about half an hour those others arrived, about fifteen men in +all, a rough-looking lot in laborers' kit. They also vanished +behind the shed, but most of them reappeared almost immediately, +laden with tools, and, separating into groups, moved off to the +edge of the clearing. Soon work was in full swing. Trees were +being cut down by one gang, the branches lopped off fallen trunks +by another, while a third was loading up and running the stripped +stems along a Decauville railway to the shed. Almost incessantly +the thin screech of the saws rose penetratingly above the sounds +of hacking and chopping and the calls of men. + + + + "" trees + trees "" + "" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> + "" >>>>>>>>> trees + Observation Point (X) "" > + "" __ lane to********** + "" [__] sawmill road ************ + "" > + "" > + "" CLEARING > + trees "" river landing > trees + "" > + "" _ Manager's House > + "" [_] > + "" > + "" > trees + trees "" > + "" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> + "" trees + "" + +[transcriber's note: to view map variable spacing must be disabled.] + + +"There doesn't seem to be much wrong here," Merriman said when they +had surveyed the scene for nearly an hour. + +"No," Hilliard agreed, "and there didn't seem to be much wrong when +I inspected the place on Sunday. But there can't be anything +obviously wrong. If there is anything, in the nature of things it +won't be easy to find." + +About nine o'clock Mr. Coburn, dressed in gray flannel, emerged from +his house and crossed the grass to the mill. He remained there for +a few minutes, then they saw him walking to the workers at the forest +edge. He spent some moments with each gang, afterwards returning to +his house. For nearly an hour things went on as before, and then +Mr. Coburn reappeared at his hall door, this time accompanied by +his daughter. Both were dressed extraordinarily well for such a +backwater of civilization, he with a gray Homburg hat and gloves, +she as before in brown, but in a well-cut coat and skirt and a smart +toque and motoring veil. Both were carrying dust coats. Mr. Coburn +drew the door to, and they walked towards the mill and were lost to +sight behind it. Some minutes passed, and between the screaming of +the saws the sound of a motor engine became audible. After a further +delay a Ford car came out from behind the shed and moved slowly over +the uneven sward towards the lane. In the car were Mr. and Miss +Coburn and a chauffeur. + +Hilliard had been following every motion through his glass, and he +now thrust the instrument into his companion's hand, crying softly: + +"Look, Merriman. Is that the lorry driver you saw?" Merriman +focused the glass on the chauffeur and recognized him instantly. +It was the same dark, aquiline-featured man who had stared at him +so resentfully on the occasion of his first visit to the mill, +some two months earlier. + +"By Jove, what an extraordinary stroke of luck!" Hilliard went on +eagerly. "All three of them that know you out of the way! We can +go down to the place now and ask for Mr. Coburn, and maybe we shall +have a chance to see inside that shed. Let's go at once, before +they come back." + +They crawled away from their point of vantage into the wood, and +retracing their steps to the boat, put it together and carried it +to the river. Then rowing up-stream, they reached the end of the +wharf, where a flight of wooden steps came down into the stream. +Here they went ashore, after making the painter fast to the woodwork. + +The front of the wharf, they had seen from the boat, was roughly +though strongly made. At the actual edge, there was a row of almost +vertical piles, pine trees driven unsquared. Behind these was a +second row, inclined inwards. The feet of both rows seemed to be +pretty much in the same line, but the tops of the raking row were +about six feet behind the others, the arrangement, seen from the +side, being like a V of which one leg is vertical. These tops were +connected by beams, supporting a timber floor. Behind the raking +piles rough tree stems had been laid on the top of each other +horizontally to hold back the earth filled behind them. The front +was about a hundred feet long, and was set some thirty feet out in +the river. + +Parallel to the front and about fifty feet behind it was the wall +of the shed. It was pierced by four doors, all of which were closed, +but out of each of which ran a line of narrow gauge railway. These +lines were continued to the front of the wharf and there connected +up by turn-tables to a cross line, evidently with the idea that a +continuous service of loaded trucks could be sent out of one door, +discharged, and returned as empties through another. Stacks of +pit-props stood ready for loading between the lines. + +"Seems a sound arrangement," Hilliard commented as they made their +inspection. + +"Quite. Anything I noticed before struck me as being efficient." + +When they had seen all that the wharf appeared to offer, they walked +round the end of the shed. At the back were a number of doors, and +through these also narrow gauge lines were laid which connected with +those radiating to the edge of the clearing. Everywhere between the +lines were stacks of pit-props as well as blocks and cuttings. Three +or four of the doors were open, and in front of one of them, talking +to someone in the building, stood a man. + +Presently he turned and saw them. Immediately they advanced and +Hilliard accosted him. + +"Good-morning. We are looking for Mr. Coburn. Is he about?" + +"No, monsieur," the man answered civilly, "he has gone into Bordeaux. +He won't be back until the afternoon." + +"That's unfortunate for us," Hilliard returned conversationally. +"My friend and I were passing up the river on our launch, and we +had hoped to have seen him. However, we shall get hold of him later. +This is a fine works you have got here." + +The man smiled. He seemed a superior type to the others and was +evidently a foreman. + +"Not so bad, monsieur. We have four saws, but only two are running +today." He pointed to the door behind him as he spoke, and the two +friends passed in as if to have an idle look round. + +The interior was fitted up like that of any other sawmill, but the +same element of design and efficiency seemed apparent here as +elsewhere. The foreman explained the process. The lopped trunks +from the wood came in by one of two roads through a large door in +the center of the building. Outside each road was a saw, its axle +running parallel to the roads. The logs were caught in grabs, +slung on to the table of the saws and, moving automatically all the +time, were cut into lengths of from seven to ten feet. The pieces +passed for props were dumped on to a conveyor which ran them out of +the shed to be stacked for seasoning and export. The rejected +pieces by means of another conveyor moved to the third and fourth +saws, where they were cut into blocks for firewood, being finally +delivered into two large bins ready for loading on to the lorries. + +The friends exhibited sufficient non-technical interest to manage +to spend a good deal of time over their survey, drawing out the +foreman in conversation and seeing as much as they could. At one +end of the shed was the boiler house and engine room, at the other +the office, with between it and the mill proper a spacious garage +in which, so they were told, the six lorries belonging to the +syndicate were housed. Three machines were there, two lying up +empty, the third, with engine running and loaded with blocks, being +ready to start. They would have liked to examine the number plate, +but in the presence of the foreman it was hardly possible. Finally +they walked across the clearing to where felling and lopping was in +progress, and inspected the operations. When they left shortly +after with a promise to return to meet Mr. Coburn, there was not +much about the place they had missed. + +"That business is just as right as rain," Merriman declared when +they were once more in the boat. "And that foreman's all right too. +I'd stake my life he wasn't hiding anything. He's not clever +enough for one thing." + +"So I think too," Hilliard admitted. "And yet, what about the game +with the number plates? What's the idea of that?" + +"I don't know. But all the same I'll take my oath there's nothing +wrong about the timber trade. It's no go, Hilliard. Let's drop +chasing wild geese and get along with our trip." + +"I feel very like it," the other replied as he sucked moodily at +his pipe. "We'll watch for another day or so, and if we see nothing +suspicious we can clear out." + +But that very evening an incident occurred which, though trifling, +revived all their suspicions and threw them at once again into a +sea of doubt. + +Believing that the Coburns would by that time have returned, they +left the launch about five o'clock to call. Reaching the edge of +the clearing almost directly behind the house, they passed round +the latter and rang. + +The door was opened by Miss Coburn herself. It happened that the +sun was shining directly in her eyes, and she could not therefore +see her visitors' features. + +"You are the gentlemen who wished to see Mr. Coburn, I presume?" she +said before Merriman could speak. "He is at the works. You will +find him in his office." + +Merriman stepped forward, his cap off. + +"Don't you remember me, Miss Coburn?" he said earnestly. "I had +the pleasure of meeting you in May, when you were so kind as to +give me petrol to get me to Bordeaux." + +Miss Coburn looked at him more carefully, and her manner, which had +up to then been polite, but coolly self-contained, suddenly changed. +Her face grew dead white and she put her hand sharply to her side, +as though to check the rapid beating of her heart. For a moment +she seemed unable to speak, then, recovering herself with a visible +effort, she answered in a voice that trembled in spite of herself: + +"Mr. Merriman, isn't it? Of course I remember. Won't you come in? +My father will be back directly." + +She was rapidly regaining self-control, and by the time Merriman +had presented Hilliard her manner had become almost normal. She +led the way to a comfortably furnished sitting-room looking out +over the river. + +"Hilliard and I are on a motor launch tour across France," Merriman +went on. "He worked from England down the coast to Bordeaux, where +I joined him, and we hope eventually to cross the country to the +Mediterranean and do the Riviera from the sea." + +"How perfectly delightful," Miss Coburn replied. "I envy you." + +"Yes, it's very jolly doing these rivers and canals," Hilliard +interposed. "I have spent two or three holidays that way now, and +it has always been worth while." + +As they chatted on in the pleasant room the girl seemed completely +to have recovered her composure, and yet Merriman could not but +realize a constraint in her manner, and a look of anxiety in her +clear brown eyes. That something was disturbing her there could be +no doubt, and that something appeared to be not unconnected with +himself. But, he reasoned, there was nothing connected with himself +that could cause her anxiety, unless it really was that matter of +the number plates. He became conscious of an almost overwhelming +desire to share her trouble whatever it might be, to let her +understand that so far from willingly causing a shadow to fall +across her path there were few things he would not do to give her +pleasure; indeed, he began to long to take her in his arms, to +comfort her. . . . + +Presently a step in the hall announced Mr. Coburn's return. "In +here, daddy," his daughter called, and the steps approached the door. + +Whether by accident or design it happened that Miss Coburn was seated +directly opposite the door, while her two visitors were placed where +they were screened by the door itself from the view of anyone +entering. Hilliard, his eyes on the girl's face as her father came +in, intercepted a glance of what seemed to be warning. His gaze +swung round to the new-comer, and here again he noticed a start of +surprise and anxiety as Mr. Coburn recognized his visitor. But in +this case it was so quickly over that had he not been watching +intently he would have missed it. However, slight though it was, +it undoubtedly seemed to confirm the other indications which pointed +to the existence of some secret in the life of these two, a secret +shared apparently by the good-looking driver and connected in some +way with the lorry number plates. + +Mr. Coburn was very polite, suave and polished as an accomplished +man of the world. But his manner was not really friendly; in fact, +Hilliard seemed to sense a veiled hostility. A few deft questions +put him in possession of the travelers ostensible plans, which he +discussed with some interest. + +"But," he said to Hilliard, "I am afraid you are in error in coming +up this River Lesque. The canal you want to get from here is the +Midi, it enters the Mediterranean not far from Narbonne. But the +connection from this side is from the Garonne. You should have gone +up-stream to Langon, nearly forty miles above Bordeaux." + +"We had hoped to go from still farther south," Hilliard answered. +"We have penetrated a good many of the rivers, or rather I have, and +we came up here to see the sand-dunes and forests of the Landes, +which are new to me. A very desolate country, is it not?" + +Mr. Coburn agreed, continuing courteously: + +"I am glad at all events that your researches have brought you into +our neighborhood. We do not come across many visitors here, and it +is pleasant occasionally to speak one's own language to someone +outside one's household. If you will put up with pot-luck I am sure +we should both be glad - " he looked at his daughter" - if you would +wait and take some dinner with us now. Tomorrow you could explore +the woods, which are really worth seeing though monotonous, and if +you are at all interested I should like to show you our little works. +But I warn you the affair is my hobby, as well as my business for +the time being, and I am apt to assume others have as great an +interest in it as myself. You must not let me bore you." + +Hilliard, suspicious and critically observant, wondered if he had +not interrupted a second rapid look between father and daughter. +He could not be sure, but at all events the girl hastened to second +her father's invitation. + +"I hope you will wait for dinner," she said. "As he says, we see +so few people, and particularly so few English, that it would be +doing us a kindness. I'm afraid that's not very complimentary" - +she laughed brightly - "but it's at least true." + +They stayed and enjoyed themselves. Mr. Coburn proved himself an +entertaining host, and his conversation, though satirical, was worth +listening to. He and Hilliard talked, while Merriman, who was +something of a musician, tried over songs with Miss Coburn. Had it +not been for an uneasy feeling that they were to some extent playing +the part of spies, the evening would have been a delight to the +visitors. + +Before they left for the launch it was arranged that they should +stay over the following day, lunch with the Coburns, and go for a +tramp through the forest in the afternoon. They took their leave +with cordial expressions of good will. + +"I say, Merriman," Hilliard said eagerly as they strolled back +through the wood, "did you notice how your sudden appearance upset +them both? There can be no further doubt about it, there's something. +What it may be I don't know, but there is something." + +"There's nothing wrong at all events," Merriman asserted doggedly. + +"Not wrong in the sense you mean, no," Hilliard agreed quickly, "but +wrong for all that. Now that I have met Miss Coburn I can see that +your estimate of her was correct. But anyone with half an eye could +see also that she is frightened and upset about something. There's +something wrong, and she wants a helping hand." + +"Damn you, Hilliard, how you talk," Merriman growled with a sudden +wave of unreasoning rage. "There's nothing wrong and no need for +our meddling. Let us clear out and go on with our trip." + +Hilliard smiled under cover of darkness. + +"And miss our lunch and excursion with the Coburns to-morrow?" he +asked maliciously. + +"You know well enough what I mean," Merriman answered irritably. +"Let's drop this childish tomfoolery about plots and mysteries and +try to get reasonably sane again. Here," he went on fiercely as +the other demurred, "I'll tell you what I'll do if you like. I'll +have no more suspicions or spying, but I'll ask her if there is +anything wrong: say I thought there was from her manner and ask her +the direct question. Will that please you?" + +"And get well snubbed for your pains?" Hilliard returned. "You've +tried that once already. Why did you not persist in your inquiries +about the number plate when she told you about the driver's +shell-shock?" + +Merriman was silent for a few moments, then burst out: + +"Well, hang it all, man, what do you suggest?" + +During the evening an idea had occurred to Hilliard and he returned +to it now. + +"I'll tell you," he answered slowly, and instinctively he lowered +his voice. "I'll tell you what we must do. We must see their +steamer loaded. I've been thinking it over. We must see what, if +anything, goes on board that boat beside pit-props." + +Merriman only grunted in reply, but Hilliard, realizing his +condition, was satisfied. + +And Merriman, lying awake that night on the port locker of the +Swallow, began himself to realize his condition, and to understand +that his whole future life and happiness lay between the dainty +hands of Madeleine Coburn. + + + +CHAPTER 5 + +THE VISIT OF THE "GIRONDIN" + +Next morning found both the friends moody and engrossed with their +own thoughts. + +Merriman was lost in contemplation of the new factor which had come +into his life. It was not the first time he had fancied himself in +love. Like most men of his age he had had affairs of varying +seriousness, which in due time had run their course and died a +natural death. But this, he felt, was different. At last he +believed he had met the one woman, and the idea thrilled him with +awe and exultation, and filled his mind to the exclusion of all else. + +Hilliard's preoccupation was different. He was considering in +detail his idea that if a close enough watch could be kept on the +loading of the syndicate's ship it would at least settle the +smuggling question. He did not think that any article could be +shipped in sufficient bulk to make the trade pay, unnoticed by a +skilfully concealed observer. Even if the commodity were a liquid + - brandy, for example - sent aboard through a flexible pipe, the +thing would be seen. + +But two unexpected difficulties had arisen since last night. Firstly, +they had made friends with the Coburns. Excursions with them were +in contemplation, and one had actually been arranged for that very +day. While in the neighborhood they had been asked virtually to make +the manager's house their headquarters, and it was evidently expected +that the two parties should see a good deal of each other. Under +these circumstances how were the friends to get away to watch the +loading of the boat? + +And then it occurred to Hilliard that here, perhaps, was evidence of +design; that this very difficulty had been deliberately caused by Mr. +Coburn with the object of keeping himself and Merriman under +observation and rendering them harmless. This, he recognized, was +guesswork, but still it might be the truth. + +He racked his brains to find some way of meeting the difficulty, and +at last, after considering many plans, he thought he saw his way. +They would as soon as possible take leave of their hosts and return +to Bordeaux, ostensibly to resume their trip east. From there they +would come out to the clearing by road, and from the observation post +they had already used keep a close eye on the arrival of the ship and +subsequent developments. At night they might be even able to hide on +the wharf itself. In any case they could hardly fail to see if +anything other than pit-props was loaded. + +So far, so good, but there was a second and more formidable +difficulty. Would Merriman consent to this plan and agree to help? +Hilliard was doubtful. That his friend had so obviously fallen in +love with this Madeleine Coburn was an unexpected and unfortunate +complication. He could, of course, play on the string that the girl +was in danger and wanted help, but he had already used that with +disappointing results. However, he could see nothing for it but to +do his best to talk Merriman round. + +Accordingly, when they were smoking their after-breakfast pipes, he +broached the subject. But as he had feared, his friend would have +none of it. + +"I tell you I won't do anything of the kind," he said angrily. +"Here we come, two strangers, poking our noses into what does not +concern us, and we are met with kindness and hospitality and invited +to join a family party. Good Lord, Hilliard, I can't believe that +it is really you that suggests it! You surely don't mean that you +believe that the Coburns are smuggling brandy?" + +"Of course not, you old fire-eater," Hilliard answered good-humoredly, +"but I do believe, and so must you, that there is something queer +going on. We want to be sure there is nothing sinister behind it. +Surely, old man, you will help me in that?" + +"If I thought there was anything wrong you know I'd help you," +Merriman returned, somewhat mollified by the other's attitude. "But +I don't. It is quite absurd to suggest the Coburns are engaged in +anything illegal, and if you grant that your whole case falls to +the ground." + +Hilliard saw that for the moment at all events he could get no more. +He therefore dropped the subject and they conversed on other topics +until it was time to go ashore. + +Lunch with their new acquaintances passed pleasantly, and after it +the two friends went with Mr. Coburn to see over the works. Hilliard +thought it better to explain that they had seen something of them on +the previous day, but notwithstanding this assurance Mr. Coburn +insisted on their going over the whole place again. He showed them +everything in detail, and when the inspection was complete both men +felt more than ever convinced that the business was genuine, and +that nothing was being carried on other than the ostensible trade. +Mr. Coburn, also, gave them his views on the enterprise, and these +seemed so eminently reasonable and natural that Hilliard's suspicions +once more became dulled, and he began to wonder if their host's +peculiar manner could not have been due to some cause other than +that he had imagined. + +"There is not so much money in the pit-props as I had hoped," Mr. +Coburn explained. "When we started here the Baltic trade, which +was, of course, the big trade before the war, had not revived. Now +we find the Baltic competition growing keener, and our margin of +profit is dwindling. We are handicapped also by having only a +one-way traffic. Most of the Baltic firms exporting pit-props have +an import trade in coal as well. This gives them double freights +and pulls down their overhead costs. But it wouldn't pay us to +follow their example. If we ran coal it could only be to Bordeaux, +and that would take up more of our boat's time than it would be +worth." + +Hilliard nodded and Mr. Coburn went on: + +"On the other hand, we are doing better in what I may call +'sideshows.'" We're getting quite a good price for our fire-wood, +and selling more and more of it. Three large firms in Bordeaux +have put in wood-burning fireboxes and nothing else, and two others +are thinking of following suit. Then I am considering two +developments; in fact, I have decided on the first. We are going to +put in an air compressor in our engine-room, and use pneumatic tools +in the forest for felling and lopping. I estimate that will save +us six men. Then I think there would be a market for pine paving +blocks for streets. I haven't gone into this yet, but I'm doing so." + +"That sounds very promising," Hilliard answered. "I don't know much +about it, but I believe soft wood blocks are considered better than +hard." + +"They wear more evenly, I understand. I'm trying to persuade the +Paris authorities to try a piece of it, and if that does well it +might develop into a big thing. Indeed, I can imagine our giving +up the pit-props altogether in the future." + +After a time Miss Coburn joined them, and, the Ford car being +brought out, the party set off on their excursion. They visited a +part of the wood where the trees were larger than near the sawmill, +and had a pleasant though uneventful afternoon. The evening they +spent as before at the Coburns' house. + +Next day the friends invited their hosts to join them in a trip up +the river. Hilliard tactfully interested the manager in the various +"gadgets" he had fitted up in the launch, and Merriman's dream of +making tea with Miss Coburn materialized. The more he saw of the +gentle, brown-eyed girl, the more he found his heart going out to +her, and the more it was borne in on him that life without her was +becoming a prospect more terrible than he could bring himself to +contemplate. + +They went up-stream on the flood tide for some twenty miles, until +the forest thinned away and they came on vineyards. There they +went ashore, and it was not until the shades of evening were +beginning to fall that they arrived back at the clearing. + +As they swung round the bend in sight of the wharf Mr. Coburn made +an exclamation. + +"Hallo!" he cried. "There's the Girondin. She has made a good run. +We weren't expecting her for another three or four hours." + +At the wharf lay a vessel of about 300 tons burden, with bluff, +rounded bows sitting high up out of the water, a long, straight +waist, and a bridge and cluster of deckhouses at the stern. + +"Our motor ship," Mr. Coburn explained with evident pride. "We had +her specially designed for carrying the pit-props, and also for this +river. She only draws eight feet. You must come on board and have +a look over her." + +This was of all things what Hilliard most desired. He recognized +that if he was allowed to inspect her really thoroughly, it would +finally dispel any lingering suspicion he might still harbor that +the syndicate was engaged in smuggling operations. The two points +on which that suspicion had been founded - the absence of return +cargoes and the locality of the French end of the enterprise - were +not, he now saw, really suspicious at all. Mr. Coburn's remark met +the first of these points, and showed that he was perfectly alive +to the handicap of a oneway traffic. The matter had not been +material when the industry was started, but now, owing to the +recovery of the Baltic trade after the war, it was becoming important, +and the manager evidently realized that it might easily grow +sufficiently to kill the pit-prop trade altogether. And the locality +question was even simpler. The syndicate had chosen the pine forests +of the Landes for their operations because they wanted timber close +to the sea. On the top of these considerations came the lack of +secrecy about the ship. It could only mean that there really was +nothing aboard to conceal. + +On reaching the wharf all four crossed the gangway to the deck of +the Girondin. At close quarters she seemed quite a big boat. In +the bows was a small forecastle, containing quarters for the crew +of five men as well as the oil tanks and certain stores. Then +amidships was a long expanse of holds, while aft were the officers' +cabins and tiny mess-room, galley, navigating bridge, and last, but +not least, the engine-room with its set of Diesel engines. She +seemed throughout a well-appointed boat, no money having apparently +been spared to make her efficient and comfortable. + +"She carries between six and seven thousand props every trip," Mr. +Coburn told them, "that is, without any deck cargo. I dare say in +summer we could put ten thousand on her if we tried, but she is +rather shallow in the draught for it, and we don't care to run any +risks. Hallo, captain! Back again?" he broke off, as a man in a +blue pilot cloth coat and a peaked cap emerged from below. + +The newcomer was powerfully built and would have been tall, but for +rather rounded shoulders and a stoop. He was clean shaven, with a +heavy jaw and thin lips which were compressed into a narrow line. +His expression was vindictive as well as somewhat crafty, and he +looked a man who would not be turned from his purpose by nice points +of morality or conscience. + +Though Hilliard instinctively noted these details, they did not +particularly excite his interest. But his interest was nevertheless +keenly aroused. For he saw the man, as his gaze fell on himself +and Merriman, give a sudden start, and then flash a quick, +questioning glance at Mr. Coburn. The action was momentary, but it +was enough to bring back with a rush all Hilliard's suspicions. +Surely, he thought, there must be something if the sight of a stranger +upsets all these people in this way. + +But he had not time to ponder the problem. The captain instantly +recovered himself, pulled off his cap to Miss Coburn and shook +hands all round, Mr. Coburn introducing the visitors. + +"Good trip, captain?" the manager went on. "You're ahead of +schedule." + +"Not so bad," the newcomer admitted in a voice and manner singularly +cultivated for a man in his position. "We had a good wind behind +us most of the way." + +They chatted for a few moments, then started on their tour of +inspection. Though Hilliard was once again keenly on the alert, +the examination, so far as he could see, left nothing to be desired. +They visited every part of the vessel, from the forecastle +storerooms to the tunnel of the screw shaft, and from the chart-house +to the bottom of the hold, and every question either of the friends +asked was replied to fully and without hesitation. + +That evening, like the preceding, they passed with the Coburns. The +captain and the engineer - a short, thick-set man named Bulla - +strolled up with them and remained for dinner, but left shortly +afterwards on the plea of matters to attend to on board. The friends +stayed on, playing bridge, and it was late when they said good-night +and set out to walk back to the launch. + +During the intervals of play Hilliard's mind had been busy with the +mystery which he believed existed in connection with the syndicate, +and he had decided that to try to satisfy his curiosity he would go +down to the wharf that night and see if any INTERESTING operations +went on under cover of darkness. The idea of a midnight loading of +contraband no longer appealed to his imagination, but vaguely he +wished to make sure that no secret activities were in progress. + +He was at least certain that none had taken place up to the present + - that Mr. Coburn was personally concerned in, at all events. +>From the moment they had first sighted the ship until they had left +the manager's house at the conclusion of the game of bridge, not +five minutes ago, he had been in Mr. Coburn's company. Next day it +was understood they were to meet again, so that if the manager +wished to carry out any secret operations they could only be done +during the night. + +Accordingly when they reached the launch he turned to Merriman. + +"You go ahead, old man. I'm going to have a look round before +turning in. Don't wait up for me. Put out the light when you've +done with it and leave the companion unlatched so that I can +follow you in." + +Merriman grunted disapprovingly, but offered no further objection. +He clambered on board the launch and disappeared below, while +Hilliard, remaining in the collapsible boat, began to row silently +up-stream towards the wharf. + +The night was dark and still, but warm. The moon had not risen, +and the sky was overcast, blotting out even the small light of the +stars. There was a faint whisper of air currents among the trees, +and the subdued murmur of the moving mass of water was punctuated +by tiny splashes and gurgles as little eddies formed round the stem +of the boat or wavelets broke against the banks. Hilliard's eyes +had by this time become accustomed to the gloom, and he could dimly +distinguish the serrated line of the trees against the sky on +either side of him, and later, the banks of the clearing, with the +faint, ghostly radiance from the surface of the water. + +He pulled on with swift, silent strokes, and presently the dark +mass of the Girondin loomed in sight. The ship, longer than the +wharf, projected for several feet above and below it. Hilliard +turned his boat inshore with the object of passing between the hull +and the bank and so reaching the landing steps. But as he rounded +the vessel's stern he saw that her starboard side was lighted up, +and he ceased rowing, sitting motionless and silently holding water, +till the boat began to drift back into the obscurity down-stream. +The wharf was above the level of his head, and he could only see, +appearing over its edge, the tops of the piles of pit-props. These, +as well as the end of the ship's navigating bridge and the gangway, +were illuminated by, he imagined, a lamp on the side of one of the +deckhouses. But everything was very still, and the place seemed +deserted. + +Hilliard's intention had been to land on the wharf and, crouching +behind the props, await events. But now he doubted if he could +reach his hiding place without coming within the radius of the +lamp and so exposing himself to the view of anyone who might be on +the watch on board. He recollected that the port or river side of +the ship was in darkness, and he thought it might therefore be +better if he could get directly aboard there from the boat. + +Having removed his shoes he rowed gently round the stern and examined +the side for a possible way up. The ship being light forward was +heavily down in the stern, and he found the lower deck was not more +than six or seven feet above water level. It occurred to him that +if he could get hold of the mooring rope pawls he might be able to +climb aboard. But this after a number of trials he found impossible, +as in the absence of someone at the oars to steady the boat, the +latter always drifted away from the hull before he could grasp what +he wanted. + +He decided he must risk passing through the lighted area, and, +having for the third time rowed round the stern, he brought the +boat up as close to the hull as possible until he reached the wharf. +Then passing in between the two rows of piles and feeling his way +in the dark, he made the painter fast to a diagonal, so that the +boat would lie hidden should anyone examine the steps with a light. +The hull lay touching the vertical piles, and Hilliard, edging +along a waling to the front of the wharf, felt with his foot through +the darkness for the stern belting. The tide was low and he found +this was not more than a foot above the timber on which he stood. +He could now see the deck light, an electric bulb on the side of +the captain's cabin, and it showed him the top of the taffrail some +little distance above the level of his eyes. Taking his courage in +both hands and stepping upon the belting, he succeeded in grasping +the taffrail. In a moment he was over it and on deck, and in another +moment he had slipped round the deckhouse and out of the light of +the lamp. There he stopped, listening for an alarm, but the silence +remained unbroken, and he believed he had been unobserved. + +He recalled the construction of the ship. The lower deck, on which +he was standing, ran across the stern and formed a narrow passage +some forty feet long at each side of the central cabin. This cabin +contained the galley and mess room as well as the first officer's +quarters. Bulla's stateroom, Hilliard remembered, was down below +beside the engine-room. + +>From the lower deck two ladders led to the bridge deck at the +forward end of which was situated the captain's stateroom. Aft of +this building most of the remaining bridge deck was taken up by +two lifeboats, canvas-covered and housed in chocks. On the top of +the captain's cabin was the bridge and chart-house, reached by two +ladders which passed up at either side of the cabin. + +Hilliard, reconnoitering, crept round to the port side of the +ship. The lower deck was in complete darkness, and he passed +the range of cabins and silently ascended the steps to the deck +above. Here also it was dark, but a faint light shone from the +window of the captain's cabin. Stealthily Hilliard tiptoed to +the porthole. The glass was hooked back, but a curtain hung +across the opening. Fortunately, it was not drawn quite tight +to one side, and he found that by leaning up against the bridge +ladder he could see into the interior. A glance showed him +that the room was empty. + +As he paused irresolutely, wondering what he should do next, he +heard a door open. There was a step on the deck below, and the +door slammed sharply. Someone was coming to the ladder at the +top of which he stood. + +Like a shadow Hilliard slipped aft, and, as he heard the unknown +ascending the steps, he looked round for cover. The starboard +boat and a narrow strip of deck were lighted up, but the port boat +was in shadow. He could distinguish it merely as a dark blot on +the sky. Recognizing that he must be hidden should the port deck +light be turned on, he reached the boat, felt his way round the +stern, and, crouching down, crept as far underneath it as he could. +There he remained motionless. + +The newcomer began slowly to pace the deck, and the aroma of a good +cigar floated in the still air. Up and down he walked with +leisurely, unhurried footsteps. He kept to the dark side of the +ship, and Hilliard, though he caught glimpses of the red point of +the cigar each time the other reached the stern, could not tell who +he was. + +Presently other footsteps announced the approach of a second +individual, and in a moment Hilliard heard the captain's voice. + +"Where are you, Bulla?" + +"Here," came in the engineer's voice from the first-comer. The +captain approached and the two men fell to pacing up and down, +talking in low tones. Hilliard could catch the words when the +speakers were near the stern, but lost them when they went forward +to the break of the poop. + +"Confound that man Coburn," he heard Captain Beamish mutter. "What +on earth is keeping him all this time?" + +"The young visitors, doubtless," rumbled Bulla with a fat chuckle, +"our friends of the evening." + +"Yes, confound them, too," growled Beamish, who seemed to be in an +unenviable frame of mind. "Damned nuisance their coming round. I +should like to know what they are after." + +"Nothing particular, I should fancy. Probably out doing some kind +of a holiday." + +They passed round the deckhouse and Hilliard could not hear the +reply. When they returned Captain Beamish was speaking. + +" - thinks it would about double our profits," Hilliard heard him +say. "He suggests a second depot on the other side, say at Swansea. +That would look all right on account of the South Wales coalfields." + +"But we're getting all we can out of the old hooker as it is," Bulla +objected. "I don't see how she could do another trip." + +"Archer suggests a second boat." + +"Oh." The engineer paused, then went on: "But that's no new +SUGGESTION. That was proposed before ever the thing was started." + +"I know, but the circumstances have changed. Now we should - " + +Again they passed out of earshot, and Hilliard took the opportunity +to stretch his somewhat cramped limbs. He was considerably +interested by what he had heard. The phrase Captain Beamish had +used in reference to the proposed depot at Swansea - "it would +look all right on account of the coalfields" - was suggestive. +Surely that was meaningless unless there was some secret activity + - unless the pit-prop trade was only a blind to cover some more +lucrative and probably more sinister undertaking? At first sight +it seemed so, but he had not time to think it out then. The men +were returning. + +Bulla was speaking this time, and Hilliard soon found he was +telling a somewhat improper story. As the two men disappeared round +the deckhouse he heard their hoarse laughter ring out. Then the +captain cried: "That you, Coburn?" The murmur of voices grew louder +and more confused and immediately sank. A door opened, then closed, +and once more silence reigned. + +To Hilliard it seemed that here was a chance which he must not miss. +Coming out from his hiding place, he crept stealthily along the deck +in the hope that he might find out where the men had gone, and learn +something from their conversation. + +The captain's cabin was the probable meeting place, and Hilliard +slipped silently back to the window through which he had glanced +before. As he approached he heard a murmur of voices, and he +cautiously leaned back against the bridge ladder and peeped in round +the partly open curtain. + +Three of the four seats the room contained were now occupied. The +captain, engineer, and Mr. Coburn sat round the central table, which +bore a bottle of whisky, a soda siphon and glasses, as well as a box +of cigars. The men seemed preoccupied and a little anxious. The +captain was speaking. + +"And have you found out anything about them?" he asked Mr. Coburn. + +"Only what I have been able to pick up from their own conversation," +the manager answered. "I wrote Morton asking him to make inquiries +about them, but of course there hasn't been time yet for a reply. +>From their own showing one of them is Seymour Merriman, junior +partner of Edwards & Merriman, Gracechurch Street, Wine Merchants. +That's the dark, square-faced one - the one who was here before. +The other is a man called Hilliard. He is a clever fellow, and holds +a good position in the Customs Department. He has had this launch +for some years, and apparently has done the same kind of trip through +the Continental rivers on previous holidays. But I could not find +out whether Merriman had ever accompanied him before." + +"But you don't think they smell a rat?" + +"I don't think so," he said slowly, "but I'm not at all sure. +Merriman, we believe, noticed the number plate that day. I told you, +you remember. Henri is sure that he did, and Madeleine thinks so +too. It's just a little queer his coming back. But I'll swear +they've seen nothing suspicious this time." + +"You can't yourself account for his coming back?" + +Again Mr. Coburn hesitated. + +"Not with any certainty," he said at last, then with a grimace he +continued: "But I'm a little afraid that it's perhaps Madeleine." + +Bulla, the engineer, made a sudden gesture. + +"I thought so," he exclaimed. "Even in the little I saw of them +this evening I thought there was something in the wind. I guess +that accounts for the whole thing. What do you say, skipper?" + +The big man nodded. + +"I should think so," he admitted, with a look of relief. "I think +it's a mare's nest, Coburn. I don't believe we need worry." + +"I'm not so sure," Coburn answered slowly. "I don't think we need +worry about Merriman, but I'm hanged if I know what to think about +Hilliard. He's pretty observant, and there's not much about this +place that he hasn't seen at one time or another." + +"All the better for us, isn't it?" Bulla queried. + +"So far as it goes, yes," the manager agreed, "and I've stuffed him +with yarns about costs and about giving up the props and going in +for paving blocks and so on which I think he swallowed. But why +should he want to know what we are doing? What possible interest +can the place have for him - unless he suspects?" + +"They haven't done anything suspicious themselves?" + +"Not that I have seen." + +"Never caught them trying to pump any of the men?" + +"Never." + +Captain Beamish moved impatiently. + +"I don't think we need worry," he repeated with a trace of aggression +in his manner. "Let's get on to business. Have you heard from +Archer?" + +Mr. Coburn drew a paper from his pocket, while Hilliard instinctively +bent forward, believing he was at last about to learn something which +would throw a light on these mysterious happenings. But alas for him! +Just as the manager began to speak he heard steps on the gangway which +passed on board and a man began to climb the starboard ladder to the +upper deck. + +Hilliard's first thought was to return to his hiding place under +the boat, but he could not bring himself to go so far away from +the center of interest, and before he had consciously thought out +the situation he found himself creeping silently up the ladder to +the bridge. There he believed he would be safe from observation +while remaining within earshot of the cabin, and if anyone followed +him up the ladder he could creep round on the roof of the cabin to +the back of the chart-house, out of sight. + +The newcomer tapped at the captain's door and, after a shout of +"Come in," opened it. There was a moment's silence, then Coburn's +voice said: + +"We were just talking of you, Henri. The skipper wants to know - " +and the door closed. + +Hilliard was not long in slipping back to his former position at the +porthole. + +"By Jove!" Bulla was saying. "And to think that two years ago I was +working a little coaster at twenty quid a month! And you, Coburn; +two years ago you weren't much better fixed, if as well, eh?" + +Coburn ignored the question. + +"It's good, but it's not good enough," he declared. "This thing +can't run for ever. If we go on too long somebody will tumble to +it. What we want is to try to get our piles made and close it +down before anything happens. We ought to have that other ship +running. We could double our income with another ship and another +depot. And Swansea seems to me the place." + +"Bulla and I were just talking of that before you came aboard," the +captain answered. "You know we have considered that again and again, +and we have always come to the conclusion that we are pushing the +thing strongly enough." + +"Our organization has improved since then. We can do more now with +less risk. It ought to be reconsidered. Will you go into the +thing, skipper?" + +"Certainly. I'll bring it before our next meeting. But I won't +promise to vote for it. In our business it's not difficult to kill +the goose, etcetera." + +The talk drifted to other matters, while Hilliard, thrilled to +the marrow, remained crouching motionless beneath the porthole, +concentrating all his attention on the conversation in the hope of +catching some word or phrase which might throw further light on +the mysterious enterprise under discussion. While the affair +itself was being spoken of he had almost ceased to be aware of his +surroundings, so eagerly had he listened to what was being said, +but now that the talk had turned to more ordinary subjects he began +more or less subconsciously to take stock of his own position. + +He realized in the first place that he was in very real danger. A +quick movement either of the men in the cabin or of some member of +the crew might lead to his discovery, and he had the uncomfortable +feeling that he might pay the forfeit for his curiosity with his +life. He could imagine the manner in which the "accident" would +be staged. Doubtless his body, showing all the appearance of death +from drowning, would be found in the river with alongside it the +upturned boat as evidence of the cause of the disaster. + +And if he should die, his secret would die with him. Should he not +then be content with what he had learned and clear out while he +could, so as to ensure his knowledge being preserved? He felt that +he ought, and yet the desire to remain in the hope of doing still +better was overpowering. But as he hesitated the power of choice +was taken away. The men in the cabin were making a move. Coburn +finished his whisky, and he and Henri rose to their feet. + +"Well," the former said, "There's one o'cl6ck. We must be off." + +The others stood up also, and at the same moment Hilliard crept +once more up the ladder to the bridge and crouched down in the +shadow of the chart-house. Hardly was he there when the men came +out of the cabin to the deck beneath the bridge, then with a brief +exchange of "Good-nights," Coburn and the lorry driver passed down +the ladder, crossed the gangway and disappeared behind a stack of +pit-props on the wharf. Bulla with a grunted "'Night" descended +the port steps and Hilliard heard the door leading below open and +shut; the starboard deck lamp snapped off, and finally the captain's +door shut and a key turned in the lock. Some fifteen minutes later +the faint light from the porthole vanished and all was dark and +silent. + +But for more than an hour Hilliard remained crouching motionless +on the bridge, fearing lest some sound that he might make in his +descent should betray him if the captain should still be awake. +Then, a faint light from the rising moon appearing towards the +east, he crept from his perch, and crossing the gangway, reached +the wharf and presently his boat. + +Ten minutes later he was on board the launch. + + + +CHAPTER 6 + +A CHANGE OF VENUE + + +Still making as little noise as possible, Hilliard descended to the +cabin and turned in. Merriman was asleep, and the quiet movement +of the other did not awaken him. + +But Hilliard was in no frame of mind for repose. He was too much +thrilled by the adventure through which he had passed, and the +discovery which he had made. He therefore put away the idea of +sleep, and instead gave himself up to consideration of the situation. + +He began by trying to marshal the facts he had already learned. In +the first place, there was the great outstanding point that his +suspicions were well founded, that some secret and mysterious business +was being carried on by this syndicate. Not only, therefore, was he +justified in all he had done up to the present, but it was clear he +could not leave the matter where it stood. Either he must continue +his investigations further, or he must report to headquarters what he +had overheard. + +Next, it seemed likely that the syndicate consisted of at least six +persons; Captain Beamish (probably from his personality the leader), +Bulla, Coburn, Henri, and the two men to whom reference had been +made, Archer, who had suggested forming the depot at Swansea, and +Morton, who had been asked to make inquiries as to himself and +Merriman. Madeleine Coburn's name had also been mentioned, and +Hilliard wondered whether she could be a member. Like his companion +he could not believe that she would be willingly involved, but on +the other hand Coburn had stated that she had reported her suspicion +that Merriman had noticed the changed number plate. Hilliard could +come to no conclusion about her, but it remained clear that there +were certainly four members, and probably six or more. + +But if so, it followed that the operations must be on a fairly large +scale. Educated men did not take up a risky and presumably illegal +enterprise unless the prize was worth having. It was unlikely that +1,000 pounds a year would compensate any one of them for the risk. +But that would mean a profit of from 4,000 to 6,000 pounds a year. +Hilliard realized that he was here on shaky ground, though the +balance of probability was in his favor. + +It also seemed certain that the whole pit-prop business was a sham, +a mere blind to cover those other operations from which the money came. +But when Hilliard came to ask himself what those operations were, he +found himself up against a more difficult proposition. + +His original brandy smuggling idea recurred to him with renewed force, +and as he pondered it he saw that there really was something to be +said for it. Three distinct considerations were consistent with the +theory. + +There was first of all the size of the fraud. A theft of 4,000 to +6,000 or more a year implied as victim a large corporation. The +sum would be too big a proportion of the income of a moderate-sized +firm for the matter to remain undiscovered, and, other things being +equal, the larger the corporation the more difficult to locate the +leakage. + +But what larger corporation was there than a nation, and what so +easy to defraud as a government? And how could a government be more +easily defrauded than by smuggling? Here again Hilliard recognized +he was only theorizing; still the point had a certain weight. + +The second consideration was also inconclusive. It was that all +the people who, he had so far learned, were involved were engaged in +transport operations. The ostensible trade also, the blind under +which the thing was worked, was a transport trade. If brandy +smuggling were in progress something of precisely this kind would +have to be devised. In fact anything more suitable than the pit-prop +business would be hard to discover. + +The third point he had thought of before. If brandy were to be +smuggled, no better locality could have been found for the venture +than this country round about Bordeaux. As one of the staple +products of the district, brandy could be obtained here, possibly +more easily than anywhere else. + +The converse argument was equally inconclusive. What hypothesis +other than that of brandy smuggling could meet the facts? Hilliard +could not think of any, but he recognized that his failure did not +prove that none existed. + +On the other hand, in spite of these considerations, he had to admit +that he had seen nothing which in the slightest degree supported the +theory, nor had he heard anything which could not equally well have +referred to something else. + +But whatever their objective, he felt sure that the members of the +syndicate were desperate men. They were evidently too far committed +to hesitate over fresh crime to keep their secret. If he wished to +pursue his investigations, it was up to him to do so without arousing +their suspicions. + +As he pondered over the problem of how this was to be done he became +more and more conscious of its difficulty. Such an inquiry to a +trained detective could not be easy, but to him, an amateur at the +game, it seemed well-nigh impossible. And particularly he found +himself handicapped by the intimate terms with the Coburns on which +he and Merriman found themselves. For instance, that very morning +an excursion had been arranged to an old chateau near Bordeaux. How +could he refuse to go? And if he went how could he watch the loading +of the Girondin? + +He had suspected before that the Coburns' hospitality was due to +something other than friendliness, and now he was sure of it. No +longer had he any doubt that the object was to get him out of the +way, to create that very obstacle to investigation which it had +created. And here again Miss Coburn had undoubtedly lent herself +to the plot. + +He was not long in coming to the conclusion that the sooner he and +Merriman took leave of the Coburns the better. Besides this +question of handicap, he was afraid with so astute a man as Coburn +he would sooner or later give himself away. + +The thought led to another. Would it not be wise to keep Merriman +in ignorance of what he had learned at least for the present? +Merriman was an open, straightforward chap, transparently honest in +all his dealings. Could he dissemble sufficiently to hide his +knowledge from his hosts? In particular could he deceive Madeleine? +Hilliard doubted it. He felt that under the special circumstances +his friend's discretion could not be relied on. At all events +Merriman's appearance of ignorance would be more convincing if it +were genuine. + +On the whole, Hilliard decided, it would be better not to tell him. +Let them once get away from the neighborhood, and he could share his +discoveries and they could together decide what was to be done. But +first, to get away. + +Accordingly next morning he broached the subject. He had expected +his friend would strenuously oppose any plan involving separation +from Madeleine Coburn, but to his relief Merriman immediately agreed +with him. + +"I've been thinking we ought to clear out too," he declared +ungrammatically. "It's not good enough to be accepting continuous +hospitality which you can't return." + +Hilliard assented carelessly, remarked that if they started the +following morning they could reach the Riviera by the following +Friday, and let it go at that. He did not refer again to the subject +until they reached the Coburns' door, when he asked quickly: "By the +way, will you tell them we're leaving tomorrow or shall I?" + +"I will," said Merriman, to his relief. + +The Girondin was loading props as they set out in the Ford car, and +the work was still in progress on their return in the late afternoon. +Mr. Coburn had excused himself from joining the party on the ground +of business, but Captain Beamish had taken his place, and had proved +himself a surprisingly entertaining companion. At the old chateau +they had a pleasant alfresco lunch, after which Captain Beamish took +a number of photographs of the party with his pocket Kodak. + +Merriman's announcement of his and Hilliard's impending departure +had been met with a chorus of regrets, but though these sounded +hearty enough, Hilliard noticed that no definite invitation to stay +longer was given. + +The friends dined with the Coburns for the last time that evening. +Mr. Coburn was a little late for the meal, saying he had waited on +the wharf to see the loading completed, and that all the cargo was +now aboard, and that the Girondin would drop down to sea on the +flood tide in the early morning. + +"We shall have her company so far," Hilliard remarked. "We must +start early, too, so as to make Bordeaux before dark." + +When the time came to say good-bye, Mr. Coburn and his daughter went +down to the launch with their departing visitors. Hilliard was +careful to monopolize the manager's attention, so as to give Merriman +his innings with the girl. His friend did not tell him what passed +between them, but the parting was evidently affecting, as Merriman +retired to his locker practically in silence. + +Five o'clock next morning saw the friends astir, and their first +sight on reaching the deck was the Girondin coming down-stream. +They exchanged hand waves with Captain Beamish on the bridge, then, +swinging their own craft, followed in the wake of the other. A +couple of hours later they were at sea. + +Once again they were lucky in their weather. A sun of molten glory +poured down from the clearest of blue skies, burnishing a track of +intolerable brilliance across the water. Hardly a ripple appeared +on the smooth surface, though they rose and fell gently to the flat +ocean swell. They were running up the coast about four miles out, +and except for the Girondin, now almost hull down to the north-west, +they had the sea to themselves. It was hot enough to make the +breeze caused by the launch's progress pleasantly cool, and both men +lay smoking on the deck, lazily watching the water and enjoying the +easy motion. Hilliard had made the wheel fast, and reached up every +now and then to give it a slight turn. + +"Jolly, I call this," he exclaimed, as he lay down again after one +of these interruptions. "Jolly sun, jolly sea, jolly everything, +isn't it?" + +"Rather. Even a landlubber like me can appreciate it. But you +don't often have it like this, I bet." + +"Oh, I don't know," Hilliard answered absently, and then, swinging +round and facing his friend, he went on: + +"I say, Merriman, I've something to tell you that will interest you, +but I'm afraid it won't please you." + +Merriman laughed contentedly. + +"You arouse my curiosity anyway," he declared. "Get on and let's +hear it." + +Hilliard answered quietly, but he felt excitement arising in him +as he thought of the disclosure he was about to make. + +"First of all," he began, speaking more and more earnestly as he +proceeded, "I have to make you an apology. I quite deliberately +deceived you up at the clearing, or rather I withheld from you +knowledge that I ought to have shared. I had a reason for it, but +I don't know if you'll agree that it was sufficient." + +"Tell me." + +"You remember the night before last when I rowed up to the wharf +after we had left the Coburns? You thought my suspicions were +absurd or worse. Well, they weren't. I made a discovery." + +Merriman sat up eagerly, and listened intently as the other recounted +his adventure aboard the Girondin. Hilliard kept nothing back; even +the reference to Madeleine he repeated as nearly word for word as +possible, finally giving a bowdlerized version of his reasons for +keeping his discoveries to himself while they remained in the +neighborhood. + +Merriman received the news with a dismay approaching positive horror. +He had but one thought - Madeleine. How did the situation affect +her? Was she in trouble? In danger? Was she so entangled that she +could not get out? Never for a moment did it enter his head that +she could be willingly involved. + +"My goodness! Hilliard," he cried hoarsely, "whatever does it all +mean? Surely it can't be criminal? They," - he hesitated slightly, +and Hilliard read in a different pronoun - "they never would join +in such a thing." + +Hilliard took the bull by the horns. + +"That Miss Coburn would take part in anything shady I don't for a +moment believe," he declared, "but I'm afraid I wouldn't be so +sure of her father." + +Merriman shook his head and groaned. + +"I know you're right," he admitted to the other's amazement. "I saw + - I didn't mean to tell you, but now I may as well. That first +evening, when we went up to call, you probably don't remember, but +after he had learned who we were he turned round to pull up a chair. +He looked at you; I saw his face in a mirror. Hilliard, it was the +face of a - I was going to say, a devil - with hate and fear. But +the look passed instantly. When he turned round he was smiling. It +was so quick I half thought I was mistaken. But I know I wasn't." + +"I saw fear on his face when he recognized you that same evening," +Hilliard replied. "We needn't blink at it, Merriman. Whether +willingly or unwillingly, Mr. Coburn's in the thing. That's as +certain as that we're here." + +"But what is it? Have you any theory?" + +"No, not really. There was that one of brandy smuggling that I +mentioned before. I suggest it because I can suggest nothing else, +but I admit I saw no evidence of it." + +Merriman was silent for several minutes as the boat slid over the +smooth water. Then with a change of manner he turned once more to +his friend. + +"I suppose we couldn't leave it alone? Is it our business after +all?" + +"If we don't act we become accessories, and besides we leave that +girl to fight her own battles." + +Merriman clenched his fists and once more silence reigned. Presently +he spoke again: + +"You had something in your mind?" + +"I think we must do one of two things. Either continue our +investigations until we learn what is going on, or else clear out +and tell the police what we have learned." + +Merriman made a gesture of dissent. + +"Not that, not that," he cried. "Anything rather than the police." + +Hilliard gazed vacantly on the long line of the coast. + +"Look here, old man," he said, "Wouldn't it be better if we discussed +this thing quite directly? Don't think I mean to be impertinent - +God knows I don't - but am I not right in thinking you want to save +Miss Coburn all annoyance, and her father also, for her sake?" + +"We needn't talk about it again," Merriman said in a hard voice, +looking intently at the stem of the mast, "but if it's necessary to +make things clear, I want to marry her if she'll have me." + +"I thought so, old man, and I can only say - the best of luck! As +you say, then, we mustn't call in the police, and as we can't leave +the thing, we must go on with our own inquiry. I would suggest that +if we find out their scheme is something illegal, we see Mr. Coburn +and give him the chance to get out before we lodge our information." + +"I suppose that is the only way," Merriman said doubtfully. After +a pause Hilliard went on: + +"I'm not very clear, but I'm inclined to think we can do no more +good here at present. I think we should try the other end." + +"The other end?" + +"Yes, the unloading of the ship and the disposal of the pit-props. +You see, the first thing we're up against is that these people are +anything but fools, and the second is that they already suspect us +and will keep a watch on us. A hundred to one they make inquiries +and see that we really do go through the Canal du Midi to the +Riviera. We can't hang about Bordeaux without their knowing it" + +"That's true." + +"Of course," Hilliard went on, "we can see now we made a frightful + mess of things by calling on the Coburns or letting Mr. Coburn +know we were about, but at the time it seemed the wisest thing." + +"It was the only thing," Merriman asserted positively. "We didn't +know then there was anything wrong, and besides, how could we have +hidden the launch?" + +"Well, it's done anyway. We needn't worry about it now, except that +it seems to me that for the same reason the launch has served its +purpose. We can't use it here because the people at the clearing +know it, and we can't use it at the unloading end, for all on board +the Girondin would recognize it directly they saw it." + +Merriman nodded without speaking and Hilliard continued: + +"I think, therefore, that we should leave the launch at Bordeaux +tonight and go back to London overland. I shall write Mr. Coburn +saying we have found Poste Restante letters recalling us. You can +enclose a note to Miss Coburn if you like. When we get to town we +can apply at the Inquiry Office at Lloyd's to find out where the +Girondin calls in England. Then let us go there and make inquiries. +The launch can be worked back to England some other time. How does +that strike you?" + +"Seems all right. But I should leave the launch at Bordeaux. We +may have to come back, and it would furnish us with an excuse for +our presence if we were seen." + +Hilliard gave a little sigh of relief. Merriman's reply took a +weight off his mind, not because of the value of the SUGGESTION + - though in its way it was quite useful - but because of its +indication of Merriman's frame of mind. He had feared that because +of Miss Coburn's connection with the affair he would lose his +friend's help, even that they might quarrel. And now he saw these +fears were groundless. Thankfully he recognized that they would +co-operate as they had originally intended. + +"Jolly good notion, that," he answered cordially. + +"I confess," Merriman went on slowly, "that I should have liked to +stay in the neighborhood and see if we couldn't find out something +more about the lorry numbers. It may be a trivial point, but it's +the only direct and definite thing we know of. All the rest are +hints or suspicions or probabilities. But here we have a bit of +mystery, tangible, in our hands, as it were. Why were those number +plates changed? It seems to me a good point of attack." + +"I thought of that, too, and I agree with every word you say," +Hilliard replied eagerly, "but there is the question of our being +suspects. I believe we shall be watched out of the place, and I +feel sure our only chance of learning anything is to satisfy them +of our bona fides." + +Merriman agreed, and they continued discussing the matter in detail, +at last deciding to adopt Hilliard's SUGGESTION and set to work on +the English end of the mysterious traffic. + +About two that afternoon they swung round the Pointe de Grave into +the estuary of the Gironde. The tide, which was then flowing, +turned when they were some two-thirds of the way up, and it was well +on to seven o'clock when they made fast to the same decaying wharf +from which they had set out. Hilliard saw the owner, and arranged +with him to let the launch lie at one of his moorings until she +should be required. Then the friends went up town, got some dinner, +wrote their letters, and took the night train for Paris. Next +evening they were in London. + +"I say," Hilliard remarked when later on that same evening they sat +in his rooms discussing their plans, "I believe we can find out +about the Girondin now. My neighbor on the next landing above is a +shipping man. He might have a copy of Lloyd's Register. I shall +go and ask him." + +In a few moments he returned with a bulky volume. "One of the +wonders of the world, this, I always think," he said, as he began +to turn over the pages. "It gives, or is supposed to give, +information about everything over a hundred tons that floats +anywhere over the entire globe. It'll give the Girondin anyway." +He ran his finger down the columns. "Ah! what's this? Motor ship +Girondin, 350 tons, built and so on. 'The Landes Pit-Prop Syndicate, +Ferriby, Hull.' Hull, my son. There we are." + +"Hull! I know Hull," Merriman remarked laconically. "At least, I +was there once." + +"We shall know it a jolly sight better than that before we're +through, it seems to me," his friend replied. "Let's hope so, +anyway." + +"What's the plan, then? I'm on, provided I have a good sleep at +home tonight first." + +"Same here," Hilliard agreed as he filled his pipe. "I suppose Hull +by an early train tomorrow is the scheme." + +Merriman borrowed his friend's pouch and refilled his pipe in his +turn. + +"You think so?" he said slowly. "Well, I'm not so sure. Seems to +me we can very easily dish ourselves if we're not careful." + +"How so?" + +"We agreed these folk were wide-awake and suspicious of us. Very +well. Directly our visit to them is over, we change our plans and +leave Bordeaux. Will it not strike them that our interest in the +trip was only on their account?" + +"I don't see it. We gave a good reason for leaving." + +"Quite; that's what I'm coming to. We told them you were recalled +to your office. But what about that man Morton, that was to spy on +us before? What's to prevent them asking him if you really have +returned?" + +Hilliard sat up sharply. + +"By Jove!" he cried. "I never thought of that." + +"And there's another thing," Merriman went on. "We turn up at Hull, +find the syndicate's depot and hang about, the fellow in charge +there sees us. Well, that's all right if he hasn't had a letter +from France describing us and enclosing a copy of that group that +Captain Beamish took at the chateau." + +Hilliard whistled. + +"Lord! It's not going to be so simple as it looks, is it?" + +"It isn't. And what's more, we can't afford to make any mistakes. +It's too dangerous." + +Hilliard got up and began to pace the room. + + +"I don't care," he declared savagely. "I'm going through with it +now no matter what happens." + +"Oh, so am I, for the matter of that. All I say is we shall have +to show a bit more intelligence this time." + +For an hour more they discussed the matter, and at last decided on +a plan. On the following morning Hilliard was to go to his office, +see his chief and ask for an extension of leave, then hang about +and interview as many of his colleagues as possible, telling them +he had been recalled, but was not now required. His chief was not +very approachable, and Hilliard felt sure the subject would not be +broached to him. In the evening they would go down to Hull. + +This program they would have carried out, but for an unforeseen +event. While Hilliard was visiting his office Merriman took the +opportunity to call at his, and there learned that Edwards, his +partner, had been taken ill the morning before. It appeared there +was nothing seriously wrong, and Edwards expected to be back at +work in three or four days, but until his return Merriman was +required, and he had reluctantly to telephone the news to Hilliard. +But no part of their combined holiday was lost. Hilliard by a +stroke of unexpected good fortune was able to spend the same time +at work, and postpone the remainder of his leave until Merriman was +free. Thus it came to pass that it was not until six days later +than they had intended that the two friends packed their bags for +Hull. + +They left King's Cross by the 5.40 p.m. train, reaching their +destination a little before eleven. There they took rooms at the +George, a quiet hotel in Baker Street, close to the Paragon Station. + + + +CHAPTER 7 + +THE FERRIBY DEPOT + + +The two friends, eager and excited by their adventure, were early +astir next morning, and after breakfast Hilliard went out and bought +the best map of the city and district he could find. + +"Why, Ferriby's not in the town at all," he exclaimed after he had +studied it for some moments. "It's up the river - must be seven or +eight miles up by the look of it; the North-Eastern runs through it +and there's a station. We'd better go out there and prospect." + +Merriman agreed, they called for a timetable, found there was a train +at 10.35, and going down to Paragon Station, got on board. + +After clearing the suburbs the line came down close to the river, +and the two friends kept a good look-out for the depot. About four +and a half miles out they stopped at a station called Hassle, then +a couple of miles farther their perseverance was rewarded and they +saw a small pier and shed, the latter bearing in large letters on +its roof the name of the syndicate. Another mile and a half brought +them to Ferriby, where they alighted. + +"Now what about walking back to Hassle," Hilliard suggested, "and +seeing what we can see?" + +They followed the station approach road inland until they reached +the main thoroughfare, along which they turned eastwards in the +direction of Hull. In a few minutes they came in sight of the depot, +half a mile off across the fields. A lane led towards it, and this +they followed until it reached the railway. + + + from + Ferriby to Main Road + * Fields * * * * * + * * + * *_*| + * * [_]Ackroyd & Holt's + * cottage[] | + * Lane * | | + Railway * * * * * * * * * * * * * | | to Hull + + ################################################################# + + from Ferriby [ ]Syndicate's Depot ()signal box + + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + + ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + + ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~to the sea~~~ + + River Humber + + +There it turned in the direction of Hull and ran parallel to the +line for a short distance, doubling back, as they learned afterwards, +until it reached the main road half-way to Hassle. The railway +tracks were on a low bank, and the men could just see across them to +the syndicate's headquarters. + +The view was not very good, but so far as they could make out, the +depot was a replica of that in the Landes clearing. A timber wharf +jutted out into the stream, apparently of the same size and +construction as that on the River Lesque. Behind it was the same +kind of galvanized iron shed, but this one, besides having windows +in the gables, seemed the smaller of the two. Its back was only +about a hundred feet from the railway, and the space between was +taken up by a yard surrounded by a high galvanized iron fence, above +which appeared the tops of many stacks of pit-props. Into the yard +ran a siding from the railway. From a door in the fence a path led +across the line to a wicket in the hedge of the lane, beside which +stood a "Beware of the Trains" notice. There was no sign of activity +about the place, and the gates through which the siding entered the +enclosure were shut. + +Hilliard stopped and stood looking over. + +"How the mischief are we to get near that place without being seen?" +he questioned. "It's like a German pill-box. There's no cover +anywhere about." + +It was true. The country immediately surrounding the depot was +singularly bare. It was flat except for the low bank, four or five +feet high, on which lay the railway tracks. There were clumps of +trees farther inland, but none along the shore, and the nearest +building, a large block like a factory with beside it a cottage, +was at least three hundred yards away in the Hull direction. + +"Seems an element of design in that, eh, Hilliard?" Merriman remarked +as they turned to continue their walk. "Considering the populous +country we're in, you could hardly find a more isolated place." + +Hilliard nodded as they turned away. + +"I've just been thinking that. They could carry on any tricks they +liked there and no one would be a bit the wiser. + +They moved on towards the factory-like building. It was on the +inland side of the railway, and the lane swung away from the line +and passed what was evidently its frontage. A siding ran into its +rear, and there were connections across the main lines and a signal +cabin in the distance. A few yards on the nearer side stood the +cottage, which they now saw was empty and dilapidated. + +"I say, Hilliard, look there!" cried Merriman suddenly. + +They had passed along the lane until the facade of the building +had come into view and they were able to read its signboard: +"Ackroyd & Bolt, Licensed Rectifiers." + +"I thought it looked like a distillery," continued Merriman in +considerable excitement. "By Jove! Hilliard, that's a find and +no mistake! Pretty suggestive, that, isn't it?" + +Hilliard was not so enthusiastic. + +"I'm not so sure," he said slowly. "You mean that it supports my +brandy smuggling theory? Just how?" + +"Well, what do you think yourself? We suspect brandy smuggling, +and here we find at the import end of the concern the nearest +building in an isolated region is a distillery - a rectifying house, +mind you! Isn't that a matter of design too? How better could +they dispose of their stuff than by dumping it on to rectifiers?" + +"You distinguish between distillers and rectifiers?" + +"Certainly; there's less check on rectifiers. Am I not right in +saying that while the regulations for the measurement of spirit +actually produced from the stills are so thorough as to make fraud +almost impossible, rectifiers, because they don't themselves produce +spirit, but merely refine what other firms have produced, are not +so strictly looked after? Rectifiers would surely find smuggled +stuff easier to dispose of than distillers." + +Hilliard shook his head. + +"Perhaps so, theoretically," he admitted, "but in practice there's +nothing in it. Neither could work a fraud like that, for both are +watched far too closely by our people. I'm afraid I don't see that +this place being here helps us. Surely it's reasonable to suppose +that the same cause brought Messrs. Ackroyd & Bolt that attracted +the syndicate? Just that it's a good site. Where in the district +could you get a better? Cheap ground and plenty of it, and steamer +and rail connections." + +"It's a coincidence anyway." + +"I don't see it. In any case unless we can prove that the ship +brings brandy the question doesn't arise." + +Merriman shrugged his shoulders good-humoredly. + +"That's a blow," he remarked. "And I was so sure I had got hold of +something good! But it just leads us back to the question that +somehow or other we must inspect that depot, and if we find nothing +we must watch the Girondin unloading. If we can only get near +enough it would be impossible for them to discharge anything in bulk +without our seeing it. + +Hilliard murmured an agreement, and the two men strolled on in +silence, the thoughts of each busy with the problem Merriman had +set. Both were realizing that detective work was a very much more +difficult business than they had imagined. Had not each had a +strong motive for continuing the investigation, it is possible they +might have grown fainthearted. But Hilliard had before him the +vision of the kudos which would accrue to him if he could unmask a +far-reaching conspiracy, while to Merriman the freeing of Madeleine +Coburn from the toils in which she seemed to have been enmeshed +had become of more importance than anything else in the world. + +The two friends had already left the distillery half a mile behind, +when Hilliard stopped and looked at his watch. + +"Ten minutes to twelve," he announced. "As we have nothing to do +let's go back and watch that place. Something may happen during +the afternoon, and if not we'll look out for the workmen leaving +and see if we can pick up something from them." + +They retraced their steps past the distillery and depot, then +creeping into a little wood, sat down on a bank within sight of +the enclosure and waited. + +The day was hot and somewhat enervating, and both enjoyed the +relaxation in the cool shade. They sat for the most part in +silence, smoking steadily, and turning over in their minds the +problems with which they were faced. Before them the country +sloped gently down to the railway bank, along the top of which the +polished edges of the rails gleamed in the midday sun. Beyond was +the wide expanse of the river, with a dazzling track of shimmering +gold stretching across it and hiding the low-lying farther shore +with its brilliancy. A few small boats moved slowly near the +shore, while farther out an occasional large steamer came into +view going up the fairway to Goole. Every now and then trains +roared past, the steam hardly visible in the dry air. + +The afternoon dragged slowly but not unpleasantly away, until about +five o'clock they observed the first sign of activity about the +syndicate's depot which had taken place since their arrival. The +door in the galvanized fence opened and five figures emerged and +slowly crossed the railway. They paused for a moment after reaching +the lane, then separated, four going eastwards towards the +distillery, the fifth coming north towards the point at which the +watchers were concealed. The latter thereupon moved out from their +hiding place on to the road. + +The fifth figure resolved itself into that of a middle-aged man of +the laboring class, slow, heavy, and obese. In his rather bovine +countenance hardly any spark of intelligence shone. He did not +appear to have seen the others as he approached, but evinced +neither surprise nor interest when Hilliard accosted him. + +"Any place about here you can get a drink?" + +The man slowly jerked his head to the left. + +"Oop in village," he answered. "Raven bar." + +"Come along and show us the way and have a drink with us," Hilliard +invited. + +The man grasped this and his eyes gleamed. + +"Ay," he replied succinctly. + +As they walked Hilliard attempted light conversation, but without +eliciting much response from their new acquaintance, and it was not +until he had consumed his third bottle of beer that his tongue +became somewhat looser. + +"Any chance of a job where you're working?" Hilliard went on. "My +pal and I would be glad to pick up something." + +The man shook his head, apparently noticing nothing incongruous in +the question. + +"Don't think it." + +"No harm in asking the boss anyway. Where might we find him?" + +"Down at works likely. He be there most times." + +"I'd rather go to his house. Can you tell where he lives?" + +"Ay. Down at works." + +"But he doesn't sleep at the works surely?" + +"Ay. Sleeps in tin hut." + +The friends exchanged glances. Their problem was even more difficult +than they had supposed. A secret inspection seemed more and more +unattainable. Hilliard continued the laborious conversation. + +"We thought there might be some stevedoring to do. You've a steamer +in now and then, haven't you?" + +The man admitted it, and after a deal of wearisome questioning they +learned that the Girondin called about every ten days, remaining for +about forty-eight hours, and that she was due in three or four days. + +Finding they could get no further information out of him, they left +their bovine acquaintance with a fresh supply of beer, and returning +to the station, took the first train back to Hull. As they sat +smoking that evening after dinner they once more attacked the problem +which was baffling them. + +"It seems to me," Hilliard asserted, "that we should concentrate on +the smuggling idea first, not because I quite believe in it, but +because it's the only one we have. And that brings us again to the +same point - the unloading of the Girondin." + +Merriman not replying, he continued: + +"Any attempt involves a preliminary visit to see how the land lies. +Now we can't approach that place in the daytime; if we try to slip +round secretly we shall be spotted from those windows or from the +wharf; on the other hand, if we invent some tale and go openly, we +give ourselves away if they have our descriptions or photographs. +Therefore we must go at night." + +"Well?" + +"Obviously we can only approach the place by land or water. If we +go by land we have either to shin up on the pier from the shore, +which we're not certain we can do, or else risk making a noise +climbing over the galvanized iron fence. Besides we might leave +footmarks or other traces. But if we go by water we can muffle +our oars and drop down absolutely silently to the wharf. There +are bound to be steps, and it would be easy to get up without +making any noise." + +Merriman's emphatic nod expressed his approval. + +"Good," he cried warmly. "What about getting a boat to-morrow and +having a try that night?" + +"I think we should. There's another thing about it too. If there +should be an alarm we could get away by the river far more easily +than across the country. It's a blessing there's no moon." + +Next day the object of their search was changed. They wanted a +small, handy skiff on hire. It did not turn out an easy quest, but +by the late afternoon they succeeded in obtaining the desired +article. They purchased also close-fitting caps and rubber-soled +shoes, together with some food for the night, a couple of electric +torches, and a yard of black cloth. Then, shortly before dusk +began to fall, they took their places and pulled out on the great +stream. + +It was a pleasant evening, a fitting close to a glorious day. The +air was soft and balmy, and a faint haze hung over the water, +smoothing and blurring the sharp outlines of the buildings of the +town and turning the opposite bank into a gray smudge. Not a +breath was stirring, and the water lay like plate glass, unbroken +by the faintest ripple. The spirit of adventure was high in the +two men as they pulled down the great avenue of burnished gold +stretching westwards towards the sinking sun. + +The tide was flowing, and but slight effort was needed to keep +them moving up-stream. As darkness grew they came nearer inshore, +until in the fading light they recognized the railway station at +Hassle. There they ceased rowing, drifting slowly onwards until +the last faint haze of light had disappeared from the sky. + +They had carefully muffled their oars, and now they turned north +and began sculling gently inshore. Several lights had come out, +and presently they recognized the railway signals and cabin at +the distillery sidings. + +"Two or three hundred yards more," said Hilliard in low tones. + +They were now close to the beach, and they allowed themselves to +drift on until the dark mass of the wharf loomed up ahead. Then +Hilliard dipped his oars and brought the boat silently alongside. + +As they had imagined from their distant view of it, the wharf was +identically similar in construction to that on the River Lesque. +Here also were the two lines of piles like the letter V, one, in +front vertical, the other raking to support the earthwork behind. +Here in the same relative position were the steps, and to these +Hilliard made fast the painter with a slip hitch that could be +quickly released. Then with the utmost caution both men stepped +ashore, and slowly mounting the steps, peeped out over the deck +of the wharf. + +As far as they could make out in the gloom, the arrangement here +also was similar to that in France. Lines of narrow gauge tramway, +running parallel from the hut towards the water, were connected +along the front of the wharf by a cross road and turn-tables. +Between the lines were stacks of pit-props, and Decauville trucks +stood here and there. But these details they saw afterwards. What +first attracted their attention was that lights shone in the third +and fourth windows from the left hand end of the shed. The manager +evidently was still about. + +"We'll go back to the boat and wait," Hilliard whispered, and they +crept down the steps. + +At intervals of half an hour one or other climbed up and had a look +at the windows. On the first two occasions the light was unchanged, +on the third it had moved to the first and second windows, and on +the fourth it had gone, apparently indicating that the manager had +moved from his sitting-room to his bedroom and retired. + +"We had better wait at least an hour more," Hilliard whispered again. + +Time passed slowly in the darkness under the wharf, and in a silence +broken only by the gentle lapping of the water among the piles. The +boat lay almost steady, except when a movement of one of its +occupants made it heel slightly over and started a series of tiny +ripples. It was not cold, and had the men not been so full of their +adventure they could have slept. At intervals Hilliard consulted +his luminous-dialed watch, but it was not until the hands pointed +to the half-hour after one that they made a move. Then once more +they softly ascended to the wharf above. + +The sides of the structure were protected by railings which ran back +to the gables of the tin house, the latter stretching entirely +across the base of the pier. Over the space thus enclosed the two +friends passed, but it speedily became apparent that here nothing +of interest was to be found. Beyond the stacks of props and wagons +there was literally nothing except a rusty steam winch, a large +water butt into which was led the down spout from the roof, a tank +raised on a stand and fitted with a flexible pipe, evidently for +supplying crude oil for the ship's engines, and a number of empty +barrels in which the oil had been delivered. With their torch +carefully screened by the black cloth the friends examined these +objects, particularly the oil tank which, forming as it did a bridge +between ship and shore, naturally came in for its share of suspicion. +But, they were soon satisfied that neither it nor any of the other +objects were connected with their quest, and retreating to the edge +of the wharf, they held a whispered consultation. + +Hilliard was for attempting to open one of the doors in the shed at +the end away from the manager's room, but Merriman, obsessed with +the idea of seeing the unloading of the Girondin, urged that the +contents of the shed were secondary, and that their efforts should +be confined to discovering a hiding place from which the necessary +observations could be made. + +"If there was any way of getting inside one of these stacks of +props," he said, "we could keep a perfect watch. I could get in +now, for example; you relieve me tomorrow night; I relieve you the +next night, and so on. Nothing could be unloaded that we wouldn't +see. But," he added regretfully, "I doubt even if we could get +inside that we should be hidden. Besides, they might take a notion +to load the props up." + +"Afraid that is hardly the scheme," Hilliard answered, then went +on excitedly: "But, there's that barrel! Perhaps we could get +into that." + +"The barrel! That's the ticket." Merriman was excited in his turn. +"That is, if it has a lid." + +They retraced their steps. With the tank they did not trouble; it +was a galvanized iron box with the lid riveted on, and moreover was +full of oil; but the barrel looked feasible. + +It was an exceptionally large cask or butt, with a lid which +projected over its upper rim and which entirely protected the +interior from view. It was placed in the corner beside the right +hand gable of the shed, that is, the opposite end of the manager's +rooms, and the wooden down spout from the roof passed in through a +slot cut in the edge of the lid. A more ideal position for an +observation post could hardly have been selected. + +"Try to lift the lid," whispered Hilliard. + +They found it was merely laid on the rim, clats nailed on below +preventing it from slipping off. They raised it easily and Hilliard +flashed in a beam from his electric torch. The cask was empty, +evidently a result of the long drought. + +"That'll do," Merriman breathed. "That's all we want to see. Come +away." + +They lowered the cover and stood for a moment. Hilliard still +wanted to try the doors of the shed, but Merriman would not hear +of it. + +"Come away," he whispered again. "We've done well. Why spoil +it?" + +They returned to the boat and there argued it out. Merriman's +proposal was to try to find out when the Girondin was expected, +then come the night before, bore a few eyeholes in the cask, and +let one of them, properly supplied with provisions, get inside +and assume watch. The other one would row away, rest and sleep +during the day, and return on the following night, when they +would exchange roles, and so on until the Girondin left. In this +way, he asserted, they must infallibly discover the truth, at +least about the smuggling. + +"Do you think we could stand twenty-four hours in that barrel?" +Hilliard questioned. + +"Of course we could stand it. We've got to. Come on, Hilliard, +it's the only way." + +It did not require much persuasion to get Hilliard to fall in with +the proposal, and they untied their painter and pulled silently +away from the wharf. The tide had turned, and soon they relaxed +their efforts and let the boat drift gently downstream. The first +faint light appeared in the eastern sky as they floated past Hassle, +and for an hour afterwards they lay in the bottom of the boat, +smoking peacefully and entranced by the gorgeous pageant of the +coming day. + +Not wishing to reach Hull too early, they rowed inshore and, landing +in a little bay, lay down in the lush grass and slept for three or +four hours. Then re-embarking, they pulled and drifted on until, +between seven and eight o'clock, they reached the wharf at which +they had hired their boat. An hour later they were back at their +hotel, recuperating from the fatigues of the night with the help of +cold baths and a substantial breakfast. + + + +CHAPTER 8 + +THE UNLOADING OF THE "GIRONDIN" + + +After breakfast Hilliard disappeared. He went out ostensibly to +post a letter, but it was not until nearly three o'clock that he +turned up again. + +"Sorry, old man," he greeted Merriman, "but when I was going to the +post office this morning an idea struck me, and it took me longer +to follow up than I anticipated. I'll tell you. I suppose you +realize that life in that barrel won't be very happy for the victim?" + +"It'll be damnable," Merriman agreed succinctly, "but we needn't +worry about that; we're in for it." + +"Oh, quite," Hilliard returned. "But just for that reason we don't +want more of it than is necessary. We could easily bury ourselves +twenty-four hours too soon." + +"Meaning?" + +"Meaning that we mustn't go back to the wharf until the night before +the Girondin arrives." + +"Don't see how we can be sure of that." + +"Nor did I till I posted my letter. Then I got my idea. It seemed +worth following up, so I went round the shipping offices until I +found a file of Lloyd's List. As you know it's a daily paper which +gives the arrivals and departures of all ships at the world's ports. +My notion was that if we could make a list of the Girondin's Ferriby +arrivals and departures, say, during the last three months, and if +we found she ran her trip regularly, we could forecast when she +would be next due. Follow me?" + +"Rather." + +"I had no trouble getting out my list, but I found it a bit +disappointing. The trip took either ten, eleven, or twelve days, +and for a long time I couldn't discover the ruling factor. Then +I found it was Sunday. If you omit each Sunday the Girondin +is in port, the round trip always takes the even ten days. I had +the Lesque arrival and departure for that one trip when we were +there, so I was able to make out the complete cycle. She takes two +days in the Lesque to load, three to run to Hull, two at Ferriby to +discharge, and three to return to France. Working from that and +her last call here, she should be due back early on Friday morning." + +"Good!" Merriman exclaimed. "Jolly good! And today is Thursday. +We've just time to get ready." + +They went out and bought a one-inch auger and a three-sixteenths +bradawl, a thick footstool and a satchel. This latter they packed +with a loaf, some cheese, a packet of figs, a few bottles of soda +water and a flask of whisky. These, with their caps, rubber shoes, +electric torches and the black cloth, they carried to their boat; +then returning to the hotel, they spent the time resting there +until eleven o'clock. Solemnly they drew lots for the first watch, +recognizing that the matter was by no means a joke, as, if unloading +were carried on by night, relief might be impossible during the +ship's stay. But Merriman, to whom the fates were propitious, had +no fear of his ability to hold out even for this period. + +By eleven-thirty they were again sculling up the river. The weather +was as perfect as that of the night before, except that on this +occasion a faint westerly breeze had covered the surface of the +water with myriads of tiny wavelets, which lapped and gurgled round +the stem of their boat as they drove it gently through them. They +did not hurry, and it was after one before they moored to the depot +steps. + +All was dark and silent above, as, carrying their purchases, they +mounted to the wharf and crept stealthily to the barrel. Carefully +they raised the lid, and Merriman, standing on the footstool, with +some difficulty squeezed himself inside. Hilliard then lifted the +footstool on to the rim and lowered the lid on to it, afterwards +passing in through the opening thus left the satchel of food and +the one-inch auger. + +A means of observation now remained to be made. Two holes, they +thought, should afford all the view necessary, one looking towards +the front of the wharf, and the other at right angles, along the +side of the shed. Slowly, from the inside, Merriman began to bore. +He made a sound like the nibbling of a mouse, but worked at +irregular speeds so as not to suggest human agency to anyone who +might be awake and listening. Hilliard, with his hand on the +outside of the barrel, stopped the work when he felt the point of +the auger coming through, and he himself completed the hole from +the outside with his bradawl. This gave an aperture imperceptible +on the rough exterior, but large within, and enabled the watcher +to see through a much wider angle than he could otherwise have done. +Hilliard then once more raised the lid, allowing Merriman to lift +the footstool within, where it was destined to act as a seat for +the observer. + +All was now complete, and with a whispered exchange of good wishes, +Hilliard withdrew, having satisfied himself by a careful look round +that no traces had been left. Regaining the boat, he loosed the +painter and pulled gently away into the night. + +Left to himself in the confined space and inky blackness of the +cask, Merriman proceeded to take stock of his position. He was +anxious if possible to sleep, not only to pass some of the time, +which at the best would inevitably be terribly long, but also that +he might be the more wakeful when his attention should be required. +But his unusual surroundings stimulated his imagination, and he +could not rest. + +He was surprised that the air was so good. Fortunately, the hole +through the lid which received the down spout was of large +dimensions, so that even though he might not have plenty of air, +he would be in no danger of asphyxiation. + +The night was very still. Listening intently, he could not hear +the slightest sound. The silence and utter darkness indeed soon +became overpowering, and he took his watch from his pocket that +he might have the companionship of its ticking and see the +glimmering hands and ring of figures. + +He gave himself up for the thousandth time to the consideration of +the main problem. What were the syndicate people doing? Was Mr. +Coburn liable to prosecution, to penal servitude? Was it possible +that by some twist of the legal mind, some misleading circumstantial +evidence, Miss Coburn - Madeleine - could be incriminated? Oh, if +he but knew what was wrong, that he might be able to help! If he +could but get her out of it, and for her sake Mr. Coburn! If they +were once safe he could pass on his knowledge to the police and be +quit of the whole business. But always there was this enveloping +cloak of ignorance baffling him at every turn. He did not know +what was wrong, and any step he attempted might just precipitate +the calamity he most desired to avoid. + +Suppose he went and asked her? This idea had occurred to him many +times before, and he had always rejected it as impracticable. But +suppose he did? The danger was that she might be alarmed or +displeased, that she might refuse to admit there was anything wrong +and forbid him to refer to the matter again or even send him away +altogether. And he felt he was not strong enough to risk that. No, +he must know where he stood first. He must understand his position, +so as not to bungle the thing. Hilliard was right. They must find +out what the syndicate was doing. There was no other way. + +So the hours dragged slowly away, but at last after interminable +ages had gone by, Merriman noticed two faint spots of light showing +at his eyeholes. Seating himself on his footstool, he bent forward +and put his eye first to one and then to the other. + +It was still the cold, dead light of early dawn before the sun had +come to awaken color and sharpen detail, but the main outlines of +objects were already clear. As Merriman peered out he saw with +relief that no mistake had been made as to his outlooks. From one +hole or the other he could see the entire area of the wharf. + +It was about five a.m., and he congratulated himself that what he +hoped was the most irksome part of his vigil was over. Soon the +place would awaken to life, and the time would then pass more +quickly in observation of what took place. + +But the three hours that elapsed before anything happened seemed +even longer than those before dawn. Then, just as his watch showed +eight o'clock, he heard a key grind in a lock, a door opened, and a +man stepped out of the shed on the wharf. + +He was a young fellow, slight in build, with an extremely alert and +intelligent face, but a rather unpleasant expression. The sallowness +of his complexion was emphasized by his almost jet black hair and +dark eyes. He was dressed in a loose gray Norfolk jacket and +knickerbockers, but wore no hat. He moved forward three or four +feet and stood staring downstream towards Hull. + +"I see her, Tom," he called out suddenly to someone in the shed +behind. "She's just coming round the point." + +There was another step and a second man appeared. He was older and +looked like a foreman. His face was a contrast to that of the other. +In it the expression was good - kindly, reliable, honest - but +ability was not marked. He looked a decent, plodding, stupid man. +He also stared eastward. + +"Ay," he said slowly. "She's early." + +"Two hours," the first agreed. "Didn't expect her till between ten +and eleven." + +The other murmured something about "getting things ready," and +disappeared back into the shed. Presently came the sounds of doors +being opened, and some more empty Decauville trucks were pushed out +on to the wharf. At intervals both men reappeared and looked +down-stream, evidently watching the approach of the ship. + +Some half an hour passed, and then an increase of movement seemed +to announce her arrival. The manager walked once more down the +wharf, followed by the foreman and four other men - apparently the +whole staff - among whom was the bovine-looking fellow whom the +friends had tried to pump on their first visit to the locality. +Then came a long delay during which Merriman could catch the sound +of a ship's telegraph and the churning of the screw, and at last +the bow of the Girondin appeared, slowly coming in. Ropes were +flung, caught, slipped over bollards, drawn taut, made fast - and +she was berthed. + +Captain Beamish was on the bridge, and as soon as he could, the +manager jumped aboard and ran up the steps and joined him there. +In a few seconds both men disappeared into the captain's cabin. + +The foreman and his men followed on board and began in a leisurely +way to get the hatches open, but for at least an hour no real +activity was displayed. Then work began in earnest. The clearing +of the hatches was completed, the ship's winches were started, and +the unloading of the props began. + +This was simply a reversal of the procedure they had observed at the +clearing. The props were swung out in bundles by the Girondin's +crew, lowered on to the Decauville trucks, and pushed by the depot +men back through the shed, the empty trucks being returned by another +road, and brought by means of the turn-tables to the starting point. +The young manager watched the operations and took a tally of the +props. + +Merriman kept a close eye on the proceedings, and felt certain he +was witnessing everything that was taking place. Every truckload +of props passed within ten feet of his hiding place, and he was +satisfied that if anything other than props were put ashore he would +infallibly see it. But the close watching was a considerable strain, +and he soon began to grow tired. He had some bread and fruit and a +whisky and soda, and though he would have given a good deal for a +smoke, he felt greatly refreshed. + +The work kept on without intermission until one o'clock, when the +men knocked off for dinner. At two they began again, and worked +steadily all through the afternoon until past seven. During all +that time only two incidents, both trifling, occurred to relieve +the monotony of the proceedings. Early in the forenoon Bulla +appeared, and under his instructions the end of the flexible hose +from the crude oil tank was carried aboard and connected by a union +to a pipe on the lower deck. A wheel valve at the tank was turned, +and Merriman could see the hose move and stiffen as the oil began +to flow through it. An hour later the valve was turned off, the +hose relaxed, the union was uncoupled and the hose, dripping black +oil, was carried back and left in its former place on the wharf. +The second incident was that about three o'clock Captain Beamish +and Bulla left the ship together and went out through the shed. + +Merriman was now horribly tired, and his head ached intolerably +from the strain and the air of the barrel, which had by this time +become very impure. But he reflected that now when the men had +left was the opportunity of the conspirators. The time for which +he had waited was approaching, and he nerved himself to resist the +drowsiness which was stealing over him and which threatened the +success of his vigil. + +But hour after hour slowly dragged past and nothing happened. Except +for the occasional movement of one of the crew on the ship, the +whole place seemed deserted. It was not till well after ten, when +dusk had fallen, that he suddenly heard voices. + +At first he could not distinguish the words, but the tone was +Bulla's, and from the sounds it was clear the engineer and some +others were approaching. Then Beamish spoke: + +"You'd better keep your eyes open anyway," he said. "Morton says +they only stayed at work about a week. They're off somewhere now. +Morton couldn't discover where, but he's trying to trace them." + +"I'm not afraid of them," returned the manager's voice. "Even if +they found this place, which of course they might, they couldn't +find out anything else. We've got too good a site." + +"Well, don't make the mistake of underestimating their brains," +counseled Beamish, as the three men moved slowly down the wharf. +Merriman, considerably thrilled, watched them go on board and +disappear into the captain's cabin. + +So it was clear, then, that he and Hilliard were seriously suspected +by the syndicate and were being traced by their spy! What luck +would the spy have? And if he succeeded in his endeavor, what would +be their fortune? Merriman was no coward, but he shivered slightly +as he went over in his mind the steps of their present quest, and +realized how far they had failed to cover their traces, how at stage +after stage they had given themselves away to anyone who cared to +make a few inquiries. What fools, he thought, they were not to have +disguised themselves! Simple disguises would have been quite enough. +No doubt they would not have deceived personal friends, but they +would have made all the difference to a stranger endeavoring to +trace them from descriptions and those confounded photographs. Then +they should not have travelled together to Hull, still less have +gone to the same hotel. It was true they had had the sense to +register under false names, but that would be but a slight hindrance +to a skillful investigator. But their crowning folly, in Merriman's +view, was the hiring of the boat and the starting off at night +from the docks and arriving back there in the morning. What they +should have done, he now thought bitterly, was to have taken a boat +at Grimsby or some other distant town and kept it continuously, +letting no one know when they set out on or returned from their +excursions. + +But there was no use in crying over spilt milk. Merriman repeated +to himself the adage, though he did not find it at all comforting. +Then his thoughts passed on to the immediate present, and he wondered +whether he should not try to get out of the barrel and emulate +Hilliard's exploit in boarding the Girondin and listening to the +conversation in the captain's cabin. But he soon decided he must +keep to the arranged plan, and make sure nothing was put ashore from +the ship under cover of darkness. + +Once again ensued a period of waiting, during which the time dragged +terribly heavily. Everything without was perfectly still, until at +about half past eleven the door of the captain's cabin opened and its +three occupants came out into the night. The starboard deck light +was on and by its light Merriman could see the manager take his leave, +cross the gangway, pass up the wharf and enter the shed. Bulla went +down towards his cabin door and Beamish, snapping off the deck light, +returned to his. In about fifteen minutes his light also went out +and complete darkness and silence reigned. + +Some two hours later Merriman, who had kept awake and on guard only +by the most determined effort, heard a gentle tap on the barrel and +a faint "Hist!" The lid was slowly raised, and to his intense +relief he was able to stand upright and greet Hilliard crouching +without. + +"Any news?" queried the latter in the faintest of whispers. +"Absolutely none. Not a single thing came out of that boat but props. +I had a splendid view all the time. Except this, Hilliard" - +Merriman's whisper became more intense - "They suspect us and are +trying to trace us." + +"Let them try," breathed Hilliard. "Here, take this in." + +He handed over the satchel of fresh food and took out the old one. +Then Merriman climbed out, held up the lid until Hilliard had taken +his place, wished his friend good luck, and passing like a shadow +along the wharf, noiselessly descended the steps and reached the +boat. A few seconds later he had drifted out of sight of the depot, +and was pulling with long, easy strokes down-stream. + +The air and freedom felt incredibly good after his long confinement, +and it was a delight to stretch his muscles at the oars. So hard +did he row that it was barely three when he reached the boat slip in +Hull. There he tied up the skiff and walked to the hotel. Before +four he was sound asleep in his room. + +That evening about seven as he strolled along the waterfront waiting +until it should be time to take out his boat, he was delighted to +observe the Girondin pass out to sea. He had dreaded having to take +another twenty-four hours' trick in the cask, which would have been +necessary had the ship not left that evening. Now all that was +needed was a little care to get Hilliard out, and the immediate job +would be done. + +He took out the boat about eleven and duly reached the wharf. All +was in darkness, and he crept to the barrel and softly raised the lid. + +Hilliard was exhausted from the long strain, but with his friend's +help he succeeded in clambering out, having first examined the floor +of the barrel to see that nothing had been overlooked, as well as +plugging the two holes with corks. They regained the boat in silence, +and it was not until they were some distance from the wharf that +either spoke. + +"My goodness! Merriman," Hilliard said at last, "but that was an +awful experience! You left the air in that cursed barrel bad, and +it got steadily worse until I thought I should have died or had to +lift the lid and give the show away. It was just everything I could +do to keep going till the ship left." + +"But did you see anything?" Merriman demanded eagerly. + +"See anything? Not a blessed thing! We are barking up the wrong +tree, Merriman. I'll stake my life nothing came out of that boat +but props. No; what those people are up to I don't know, but there's +one thing a dead cert, and that is that they're not smuggling." + +They rowed on in silence, Hilliard almost sick with weariness and +disappointment, Merriman lost in thought over their problem. It was +still early when they reached their hotel, and they followed +Merriman's plan of the morning before and went straight to bed. + +Next day they spent in the hotel lounge, gloomily smoking and at +intervals discussing the affair. They had admitted themselves +outwitted - up to the present at all events. And neither could +suggest any further step. There seemed to be no line of +investigation left which might bear better fruit. They agreed +that the brandy smuggling theory must be abandoned, and they had +nothing to take its place. + +"We're fairly up against it as far as I can see," Hilliard admitted +despondently. "It's a nasty knock having to give up the only +theory we were able to think of, but it's a hanged sight worse not +knowing how we are going to carry on the inquiry." + +"That is true," Merriman returned, Madeleine Coburn's face rising +before his imagination, "but we can't give it up for all that. We +must go on until we find something." + +"That's all very well. What are we to go on doing?" + +Silence reigned for several minutes and then Hilliard spoke again. + +"I'm afraid it means Scotland Yard after all." + +Merriman sat up quickly. + +"Not that, not that!" he protested, as he had protested in similar +terms on a previous occasion when the same SUGGESTION had been made. +"We must keep away from the police at all costs." He spoke earnestly. + +"I know your views," Hilliard answered, "and agree with them. But +if neither of us can suggest an alternative, what else remains?" + +This was what Merriman had feared and he determined to play the +one poor trump in his hand. + +"The number plates," he suggested. "As I said before, that is the +only point at which we have actually come up against this mystery. +Why not let us start in on it? If we knew why those plates were +changed, the chances are we should know enough to clear up the whole +affair." + +Hilliard, who was suffering from the reaction of his night of stress, +took a depressed view and did not welcome the SUGGESTION. He seemed +to have lost heart in the inquiry, and again urged dropping it and +passing on their knowledge to Scotland Yard. But this course +Merriman strenuously opposed, pressing his view that the key to the +mystery was to be found in the changing of the lorry numbers. +Finally they decided to leave the question over until the following +day, and to banish the affair from their minds for that evening by a +visit to a music hall. + + + +CHAPTER 9 + +THE SECOND CARGO + + +Merriman was awakened in the early hours of the following morning +by a push on the shoulder and, opening his eyes, he was amazed to +see Hilliard, dressed only in his pajamas, leaning over him. On +his friend's face was an expression of excitement and delight which +made him a totally different man from the gloomy pessimist of the +previous day. + +"Merriman, old man," he cried, though in repressed tones - it was +only a little after five - "I'm frightfully sorry to stir you up, but +I just couldn't help it. I say, you and I are a nice pair of idiots!" + +Merriman grunted. + +"I don't know what you're talking about," he murmured sleepily. + +"Talking about?" Hilliard returned eagerly. "Why, this affair, of +course! I see it now, but what I don't see is how we missed it +before. The idea struck me like a flash. Just while you'd wink I +saw the whole thing!" + +Merriman, now thoroughly aroused, moved with some annoyance. + +"For Heaven's sake, explain yourself," he demanded. "What whole +thing?" + +"How they do it. We thought it was brandy smuggling but we couldn't +see how it was done. Well, I see now. It's brandy smuggling right +enough, and we'll get them this time. We'll get them, Merriman, +we'll get them yet." + +Hilliard was bubbling over with excitement. He could not remain +still, but began to pace up and down the room. His emotion was +infectious, and Merriman began to feel his heart beat quicker as +he listened. + +Hilliard went on: + +"We thought there might be brandy, in fact we couldn't suggest +anything else. But we didn't see any brandy; we saw pit-props. +Isn't that right?" + +"Well?" Merriman returned impatiently. "Get on. What next?" + +"That's all," Hilliard declared with a delighted laugh. "That's +the whole thing. Don't you see it now?" + +Merriman felt his anger rising. + +"Confound it all, Hilliard," he protested. "If you haven't +anything better to do than coming round wakening - " + +"Oh, don't get on your hind legs," Hilliard interrupted with another +ecstatic chuckle. "What I say is right -enough. Look here, it's +perfectly simple. We thought brandy would be unloaded! And what's +more, we both sat in that cursed barrel and watched it being done! +But all we saw coming ashore was pit-props, Merriman, pit-props! +Now don't you see?" + +Merriman suddenly gasped. + +"Lord!" he cried breathlessly. "It was in the props?" + +"Of course it was in the props!" Hilliard repeated triumphantly. +"Hollow props; a few hollow ones full of brandy to unload in their +shed, many genuine ones to sell! What do you think of that, +Merriman? Got them at last, eh?" + +Merriman lay still as he tried to realize what this idea involved. +Hilliard, moving jerkily about the room as if he were a puppet +controlled by wires, went on speaking. + +"I thought it out in bed before I came along. All they'd have to +do would be to cut the props in half and bore them out, attaching +a screwed ring to one half and a screwed socket to the other so +that they'd screw together like an ordinary gas thimble. See?" + +Merriman nodded. + +"Then they'd get some steel things like oxygen gas cylinders to fit +inside. They'd be designed of such a thickness that their weight +would be right; that their weight plus the brandy would be equal to +the weight of the wood bored out." + +He paused and looked at Merriman. The latter nodded again. + +"The rest would be as easy as tumbling off a log. At night Coburn +and company would screw off the hollow ends, fill the cylinders with +brandy, screw on the end again, and there you have your props - +harmless, innocent props - ready for loading up on the Girondin. +Of course, they'd have them marked. Then when they're being +unloaded that manager would get the marked ones put aside - they +could somehow be +defective, too long or too short or too thin or too anything you +like - he would find some reason for separating them out - and then +at night he would open the things and pour out the brandy, screw +them up again and - there you are!" + +Hilliard paused dramatically, like a conjurer who has just drawn a +rabbit from a lady's vanity bag. + +"That would explain that Ferriby manager sleeping in the shed," +Merriman put in. + +"So it would. I hadn't thought of that." + +"And," Merriman went on, "there'd be enough genuine props carried +on each trip to justify the trade." + +"Of course. A very few faked ones would do all they wanted - say +two or three per cent. My goodness, Merriman, it's a clever scheme; +they deserve to win. But they're not going to." Again he laughed +delightedly. + +Merriman was thinking deeply. He had recovered his composure, and +had begun to weigh the idea critically. + +"They mightn't empty the brandy themselves at all," he said slowly. +"What's to prevent them running the faked props to the firm who +plants the brandy?" + +"That's true," Hilliard returned. "That's another idea. My eyes, +what possibilities the notion has!" + +They talked on for some moments, then Hilliard, whose first +excitement was beginning to wane, went back to his room for some +clothes. In a few minutes he returned full of another side of the +idea. + +"Let's just work out," he suggested, "how much you could put into +a prop. Take a prop say nine inches in diameter and nine feet long. + Now you can't weaken it enough to risk its breaking if it +accidentally falls. Suppose you bored a six-inch hole down its +center. That would leave the sides one and half inches thick, which +should be ample. What do you think?" + +"Take it at that anyway," answered Merriman. + +"Very well. Now how long would it be? If we bore too deep a hole +we may split the prop. What about two feet six inches into each +end? Say a five-foot tube?" + +"Take it at that," Merriman repeated. + +"How much brandy could you put into a six-inch tube, five feet +long?" He calculated aloud, Merriman checking each step. "That +works out at a cubic foot of brandy, six and a quarter gallons, +fifty pints or four hundred glasses-four hundred glasses per prop." + +He paused, looked at his friend, and resumed: + +"A glass of brandy in France costs you sixpence; in England it costs +you half-a-crown. Therefore, if you can smuggle the stuff over you +make a profit of two shillings a glass. Four hundred glasses at two +shillings. There's a profit of 40 pounds per prop, Merriman!" + +Merriman whistled. He was growing more and more im- +pressed. The longer he considered the idea, the more likely it +seemed. He listened eagerly as Hilliard, once again excitedly +pacing the room, resumed his calculations. + +"Now you have a cargo of about seven thousand props. Suppose you +assume one per cent of them are faked, that would be seventy. We +don't know how many they have, of course, but one out of every +hundred is surely a conservative figure. Seventy props means 2,800 +pounds profit per trip. And they have a trip every ten days - say +thirty trips a year to be on the safe side - 84,000 pounds a year +profit! My eyes, Merriman, it would be worth running some risks +for 84,000 a year!" + +"Risks?" cried Merriman, now as much excited as his friend. "They'd +risk hell for it! I bet, Hilliard, you've got it at last. 84,000 +pounds a year! But look here," - his voice changed - "you have to +divide it among the members." + +"That's true, you have," Hilliard admitted, "but even so - how many +are there? Beamish, Bulla, Coburn, Henri, the manager here, and the +two men they spoke of, Morton and Archer - that makes seven. That +would give them 12,000 a year each. It's still jolly well worth +while." + +"Worth while? I should just say so." Merriman lay silently pondering +the idea. Presently he spoke again. + +"Of course those figures of yours are only guesswork." + +"They're only guesswork," Hilliard agreed with a trace of impatience +in his manner, "because we don't know the size of the tubes and the +number of the props, but it's not guesswork that they can make a +fortune out of smuggling in that way. We see now that the thing can +be done, and how it can be done. That's something gained anyway." + +Merriman nodded and sat up in bed. + +"Hand me my pipe and baccy out of that coat pocket like a good man," +he asked, continuing slowly: + +"It'll be some job, I fancy, proving it. We shall have to see first +if the props are emptied at that depot, and if not we shall have to +find out where they're sent, and investigate. I seem to see a +pretty long program opening out. Have you any plans?" + +"Not a plan," Hilliard declared cheerfully. "No time to make 'em +yet. But we shall find a way somehow." + +They went on discussing the matter in more detail. At first the +testing of Hilliard's new theory appeared a simple matter, but the +more they thought it over the more difficult it seemed to become. +For one thing there would be the investigations at the depot. +Whatever unloading of the brandy was carried on there would +probably be done inside the shed and at night. It would therefore +be necessary to find some hiding place within the building from +which the investigations could be made. This alone was an +undertaking bristling with difficulties. In the first place, all +the doors of the shed were locked and none of them opened without +noise. How were they without keys to open the doors in the dark, +silently and without leaving traces? Observations might be +required during the entire ten-day cycle, and that would mean that +at some time each night one of these doors would have to be opened +and shut to allow the watcher to be relieved. And if the emptying +of the props were done at night how were they to ensure that this +operation should not coincide with the visit of the relief? And +this was all presupposing that a suitable hiding place could be +found inside the building in such a position that from it the +operations in question could be overlooked. + +Here no doubt were pretty serious obstacles, but even were they +all successfully overcome it did not follow that they would have +solved the problem. The faked props might be loaded up and +forwarded to some other depot, and, if so, this other depot might +be by no means easy to find. Further, if it were found, nocturnal +observation of what went on within would then become necessary. + +It seemed to the friends that all they had done up to the present +would be the merest child's play in comparison to what was now +required. During the whole of that day and the next they brooded +over the problem, but without avail. The more they thought about +it the more hopeless it seemed. Even Hilliard's cheery optimism +was not proof against the wave of depression which swept over him. + +Curiously enough it was to Merriman, the plodding rather than the +brilliant, that light first came. They were seated in the otherwise +empty hotel lounge when he suddenly stopped smoking, sat motionless +for nearly a minute, and then turned eagerly to his companion. + +"I say, Hilliard," he exclaimed. "I wonder if there mightn't be +another way out after all - a scheme for making them separate the +faked and the genuine props? Do you know Leatham - Charlie Leatham +of Ellerby, somewhere between Selby and Boughton? No? Well, he +owns a group of mines in that district. He's as decent a soul as +ever breathed, and is just rolling in money. Now, - how would it +do if we were to go to Charlie and tell him the whole thing, and +ask him to approach these people to see if they would sell him a +cargo of props - an entire cargo. I should explain that he has a +private wharf for lighters on one of those rivers up beyond Goole, +but the approach is too shallow for a sea-going boat. Now, why +shouldn't he tell these people about his wharf, saying he had +heard the Girondin was shallow in the draught, and might get up? +He would then say he would take an entire cargo on condition that +he could have it at his own place and so save rail carriage from +Ferriby. That would put the syndicate in a hole. They couldn't +let any of the faked props out of their possession, and if they +agreed to Leatham's proposal they'd have to separate out the faked +props from the genuine, and keep the faked aboard. On their way +back from Leatham's they would have to call at Ferriby to put these +faked ones ashore, and if we are not utter fools we should surely +be able to get hold of them then. What do you think, Hilliard?" + +Hilliard smote his thigh. + +"Bravo!" he cried with enthusiasm. "I think it's just splendid. +But is there any chance your friend would take a cargo? It's +rather a large order, you know. What would it run into? Four +or five thousand pounds?" + +"Why shouldn't he? He has to buy props anyway, and these are good +props and they would be as cheap as any he could get elsewhere. +Taking them at his own wharf would be good business. Besides, +7,000 props is not a big thing for a group of mines. There are a +tremendous lot used." + +"That's true." + +"But the syndicate may not agree," Merriman went on. "And yet I +think they will. It would look suspicious for them to refuse so +good an offer." + +Hilliard nodded. Then a further idea seemed to strike him and he +sat up suddenly. + +"But, Merriman, old man," he exclaimed, "you've forgotten one thing. +If they sent a cargo of that kind they'd send only genuine props. +They wouldn't risk the others." + +But Merriman was not cast down. + +"I dare say you're right," he admitted, "but we can easily prevent +that. Suppose Leatham arranges for a cargo for some indefinite date +ahead, then on the day after the Girondin leaves France he goes to +Ferriby and says some other consignment has failed him, and could +they let him have the next cargo? That would meet the case, +wouldn't it?" + +"By Jove, Merriman, but you're developing the detective instinct +and no mistake! I think the scheme's worth trying anyway. How +can you get in touch with your friend?" + +"I'll phone him now that we shall be over tomorrow to see him." + +Leatham was just leaving his office when Merriman's call reached +him. + +"Delighted to see you and meet your friend," he answered. "But +couldn't you both come over now and stay the night? You would be +a perfect godsend to me, for Hilda's in London and I have the +house to myself." + +Merriman thanked him, and later on the two friends took the 6.35 +train to Ellerby. Leatham's car was waiting for them at the station, +and in a few minutes they had reached the mineowner's house. + +Charles Leatham was a man of about five-and-thirty, tall, broad, +and of muscular build. He had a strong, clean-shaven face, a +kindly though direct manner, and there was about him a SUGGESTION +of decision and efficiency which inspired the confidence of those +with whom he came in contact + +"This is very jolly," he greeted them. "How are you, old man? +Glad to meet you, Hilliard. This is better than the lonely evening +I was expecting." + +They went into dinner presently, but it was not until the meal was +over and they were stretched in basket chairs on the terrace in the +cool evening air that Merriman reverted to the subject which had +brought them together. + +"I'm afraid," he began, "it's only now when I am right up against +it that I realize what appalling cheek we show in coming to you +like this, and when you hear what we have in our minds, I'm afraid +you will think so too. As a matter of fact, we've accidentally got +hold of information that a criminal organization of some kind is in +operation. For various reasons our hands are tied about going to +the police, so we're trying to play the detectives ourselves, and +now we're up against a difficulty we don't see our way through. We +thought if we could interest you sufficiently to induce you to join +us, we might devise a scheme. + +Amazement had been growing on Leatham's face while Merriman was +speaking. + +"Sounds like the New Arabian Nights!" he exclaimed. "You're not by +any chance pulling my leg?" + +Merriman reassured him. + +"The thing's really a bit serious," he continued. "If what we +suspect is going on, the parties concerned won't be squeamish +about the means they adopt to keep their secret. I imagine they'd +have a short way with meddlers." + +Leatham's expression of astonishment did not decrease, but "By Jove!" +was all he said. + +"For that reason we can only tell you about it in confidence." + +Merriman paused and glanced questioningly at the other, who nodded +without replying. + +"It began when I was cycling from Bayonne to Bordeaux," Merriman +went on, and he told his host about his visit to the clearing, his +voyage of discovery with Hilliard and what they had learned in +France, their trip to Hull, the Ferriby depot and their adventures +thereat, ending up by explaining their hollow pit-prop idea, and +the difficulty with which they found themselves faced. + +Leatham heard the story with an interest which could hardly fail +to gratify its narrator. When it was finished he expressed his +feelings by giving vent to a long and complicated oath. Then he +asked how they thought he could help. Merriman explained. The +mineowner rather gasped at first, then he laughed and slapped his +thigh. + +"By the Lord Harry!" he cried, "I'll do it! As a matter of fact I +want the props, but I'd do it anyway to see you through. If there's +anything at all in what you suspect it'll make the sensation of the +year." + +He thought for a moment, then went on: + +"I shall go down to that depot at Ferriby tomorrow, have a look at +the props, and broach the idea of taking a cargo. It'll be +INTERESTING to have a chat with that manager fellow, and you may +bet I'll keep my eyes open. You two had better lie low here, and +in the evening we'll have another talk and settle what's to be done." + +The next day the friends "lay low," and evening saw them once more +on the terrace with their host. It seemed that he had motored to +Ferriby about midday. The manager had been polite and even friendly, +had seemed pleased at the visit of so influential a customer, and +had shown him over the entire concern without the slightest +hesitation. He had appeared delighted at the prospect of disposing +of a whole cargo of props, and had raised no objection to the +Girondin unloading at Leatham's wharf. The price was moderate, but +not exceptionally so. + +"I must admit," Leatham concluded, "that everything appeared very +sound and businesslike. I had a look everywhere in that shed and +enclosure, and I saw nothing even remotely suspicious. The manager's +manner, too, was normal and it seems to me that either he's a jolly +good actor or you two chaps are on a wild goose chase." + +"We may be about the hollow props," Merriman returned, "and we may +be about the brandy smuggling. But there's no mistake at all about +something being wrong. That's certain from what Hilliard overheard." + +Leatham nodded. + +"I know all that," he said, "and when we've carried out this present +scheme we shall know something more. Now let's see. When does that +blessed boat next leave France?" + +"Thursday morning, we reckon," Hilliard told him. + +"Then on Friday afternoon I shall call up those people and pitch my +yarn about my consignment of props having gone astray, and ask if +they can send their boat direct here. How's that?" + +"Nothing could be better." + +"Then I think for the present you two had better clear out. Our +connection should not be known. And don't go near London either. +That chap Morton has lost you once, but he'll not do it a second +time. Go and tramp the Peak District, or something of that kind. +Then you'll be wanted back in Hull on Saturday." + +"What's that for?" both men exclaimed in a breath. + +"That blessed barrel of yours. You say the Girondin will leave +France on Thursday night. That means she will be in the Humber on +Sunday night or Monday morning. Now you reckoned she would unload +here and put the faked props ashore and load up oil at Ferriby on +her way out. But she mightn't. She might go into Ferriby first. +It would be the likely thing to do, in fact, for then she'd get +here with nothing suspicious aboard and could unload everything. +So I guess you'll have to watch in your barrel on Sunday, and that +means getting into it on Saturday night." + +The two friends swore and Leatham laughed. + +"Good heavens," Hilliard cried, "it means about four more nights of +the damned thing. From Saturday night to Sunday night for the +arrival; maybe until Monday night if she lies over to discharge the +faked props on Monday. Then another two nights or maybe three to +cover her departure. I tell you it's a tall order." + +"But think of the prize," Leatham smiled maliciously. "As a matter +of fact I don't see any other way." + +"There is no other way," Merriman declared with decision. "We may +just set our teeth and go through with it." + +After further discussion it was arranged that the friends would +leave early next day for Harrogate. There Leatham would wire them +on Friday the result of his negotiations about the Girondin. They +could then return to Hull and get out their boat on Saturday should +that be necessary. When about midnight they turned in, Leatham was +quite as keen about the affair as his guests, and quite as anxious +that their joint experiment should be crowned with success. + +The two friends spent a couple of lazy days amusing themselves in +Harrogate, until towards evening on the Friday Merriman was called +to the telephone. + +"That'll be Leatham," he exclaimed. "Come on, Hilliard, and hear +what he has to say." + +It was the mineowner speaking from his office. + +"I've just rung up our friends," he told them, "and that business +is all right. There was some delay about it at first, for Benson + - that's the manager - was afraid he hadn't enough stock of props +for current orders. But on looking up his records he found he +could manage, so he is letting the ship come on." + +"Jolly good, Leatham." + +"The Girondin is expected about seven tomorrow evening. Benson then +asked about a pilot. It seems their captain is a certified pilot of +the Humber up to Ferriby, but he could not take the boat farther. I +told him I'd lend him the man who acted for me, and what I've +arranged is this, I shall send Angus Menzies, the master of one of +my river tugs, to the wharf at Ferriby about six on Saturday evening. +When the Girondin comes up he can go aboard and work her on here. +Menzies is a good man, and I shall drop a hint that I've bought the +whole cargo, and to keep his eyes open that nothing is put ashore +that I don't get. That'll be a still further check." + +The friends expressed their satisfaction at this arrangement, and +it was decided that as soon as the investigation was over all three +should meet and compare results at Leatham's house. + +Next evening saw the two inquirers back at their hotel in Hull. +They had instructed the owner of their hired boat to keep it in +readiness for them, and about eleven o'clock, armed with the +footstool and the satchel of food, they once more got on board and +pulled out on to the great stream. Merriman not wishing to spend +longer in the barrel than was absolutely necessary, they went +ashore near Hassle and had a couple of hours' sleep, and it was +well past four when they reached the depot. The adventure was +somewhat more risky than on the previous occasion, owning to the +presence of a tiny arc of moon. Rut they carried out their plans +without mishap, Merriman taking his place in the cask, and Hilliard +returning to Hull with the boat. + +If possible, the slow passage of the heavily weighted hours until +the following evening was even more irksome to the watcher than on +the first occasion. Merriman felt he would die of weariness and +boredom long before anything happened, and it was only the thought +that he was doing it for Madeleine Coburn that kept him from utter +collapse. + +At intervals during the morning, Benson, the manager, or one of +the other men came out for a moment or two on the wharf, but no +regular work went on there. During the interminable hours of the +afternoon no one appeared at all, the whole place remaining silent +and deserted, and it was not until nearly six that the sound of +footsteps fell on Merriman's weary ears. He heard a gruff voice +saying: "Ah'm no so sairtain o' it mesel'," which seemed to +accord with the name of Leatham's skipper, and then came Benson's +voice raised in agreement. + +The two men passed out of the shed and moved to the edge of the +wharf, pursuing a desultory discussion, the drift of which Merriman +could not catch. The greater part of an hour passed, when first +Benson and then Menzies began to stare eastwards down the river. +It seemed evident to Merriman that the Girondin was in sight, and +he began to hope that something more INTERESTING would happen. But +the time dragged wearily for another half-hour, until he heard the +bell of the engine-room telegraph and the wash of the screw. A +moment later the ship appeared, drew alongside, and was berthed, +all precisely as had happened before. + +As soon as the gangway was lowered, Benson sprang aboard, and +running up the ladder to the bridge, eagerly addressed Captain +Beamish. Merriman could not hear what was said, but he could see +the captain shaking his head and making little gestures of +disapproval. He watched him go to the engine room tube and speak +down it. It was evidently a call to Bulla, for almost immediately +the engineer appeared and ascended to the bridge, where all three +joined in a brief discussion. Finally Benson came to the side of +the ship and shouted something to Menzies, who at once went on +board and joined the group on the bridge. Merriman saw Benson +introduce him to the others, and then apparently explain something +to him. Menzies nodded as if satisfied and the conversation became +general. + +Merriman was considerably thrilled by this new development. He +imagined that Benson while, for the benefit of Menzies, ostensibly +endeavoring to make the arrangements agreed on, had in reality +preceded the pilot on board in order to warn the captain of the +proposal, and arrange with him some excuse for keeping the ship +where she was for the night. Bulla had been sent for to acquaint +him with the situation, and it was not until all three were agreed +as to their story that Menzies was invited to join the conclave. +To Merriman it certainly looked as if the men were going to fall +into the trap which he and his friends had prepared, and he +congratulated himself on having adhered to his program and hidden +himself in the barrel, instead of leaving the watching to be done +by Menzies, as he had been so sorely tempted to do. For it was +clear to him that if any secret work was to be done Menzies would +be got out of the way until it was over. Merriman was now keenly +on the alert, and he watched every movement on the ship or wharf +with the sharpness of a lynx. Bulla presently went below, leaving +the other three chatting on the bridge, then a move was made and, +the engineer reappearing, all four entered the cabin. Apparently +they were having a meal, for in about an hour's time they emerged, +and bringing canvas chairs to the boat deck, sat down and began +to smoke - all except Bulla, who once again disappeared below. +In a few moments he emerged with one of the crew, and began to +superintend the coupling of the oil hose. The friends had +realized the ship would have to put in for oil, but they had +expected that an hour's halt would have sufficed to fill up. But +from the delay in starting and the leisurely way the operation +was being conducted, it looked as if she was not proceeding that +night. + +In about an hour the oiling was completed, and Bulla followed his +friends to the captain's cabin, where the latter had retired when +dusk began to fall. An hour later they came out, said "Good-night," +and separated, Benson coming ashore, Bulla and Menzies entering +cabins on the main deck, and Captain Beamish snapping off the deck +light and re-entering his own room. + +"Now or never," thought Merriman, as silence and darkness settled +down over the wharf. + +But apparently it was to be never. Once again the hours crept +slowly by and not a sign of activity became apparent. Nothing moved +on either ship or wharf, until about two in the morning he saw dimly +in the faint moonlight the figure of Hilliard to relieve him. + +The exchange was rapidly effected, and Hilliard took up his watch, +while his friend pulled back into Hull, and following his own +precedent, went to the hotel and to bed. + +The following day Merriman took an early train to Goole, returning +immediately. This brought him past the depot, and he saw that the +Girondin had left. + +That night he again rowed to the wharf and relieved Hilliard. They +had agreed that in spite of the extreme irksomeness of a second night +in the cask it was essential to continue their watch, lest the +Girondin should make another call on her way to sea and then +discharge the faked props. + +The remainder of the night and the next day passed like a hideous +dream. There being nothing to watch for in the first part of his +vigil, Merriman tried to sleep, but without much success. The +hours dragged by with an incredible deliberation, and during the +next day there was but slight movement on the wharf to occupy his +attention. And then just before dark he had the further annoyance +of learning that his long-drawn-out misery had been unnecessary. +He saw out in the river the Girondin passing rapidly seawards. + +Their plan then had failed. He was too weary to think consecutively +about it, but that much at least was clear. When Hilliard arrived +some five hours later, he had fallen into a state of partial coma, +and his friend had considerable trouble in rousing him to make the +effort necessary to leave his biding place with the requisite care +and silence. + +The next evening the two friends left Hull by a late train, and +reaching Leatham's house after dusk had fallen, were soon seated in +his smoking-room with whiskies and sodas at their elbows and Corona +Coronas in their mouths. All three were somewhat gloomy, and their +disappointment and chagrin were very real. Leatham was the first +to put their thoughts into words. + +"Well," he said, drawing at his cigar, "I suppose we needn't say +one thing and think another. I take it our precious plan has +failed?" + +"That's about the size of it," Hilliard admitted grimly. + +"Your man saw nothing?" Merriman inquired. + +"He saw you," the mineowner returned. "He's a very dependable chap, +and I thought it would be wise to give him a hint that we suspected +something serious, so he kept a good watch. It seems when the ship +came alongside at Ferriby, Benson told the captain not to make fast +as he had to go further up the river. But the captain said he +thought they had better fill up with oil first, and he sent to +consult the engineer, and it was agreed that when they were in they +might as well fill up as it would save a call on the outward journey. +Besides, no one concerned was on for going up in the dark - there +are sandbanks, you know, and the navigation's bad. They gave +Menzies a starboard deck cabin - that was on the wharf side - and +he sat watching the wharf through his porthole for the entire night. +There wasn't a thing unloaded, and there wasn't a movement on the +wharf until you two changed your watch. He saw that, and it fairly +thrilled him. After that not another thing happened until the cook +brought him some coffee and they got away." + +"Pretty thorough," Hilliard commented. "It's at least a blessing +to be sure beyond a doubt nothing was unloaded." + +"We're certain enough of that," Leatham went on, "and we're certain +of something else too. I arranged to drop down on the wharf when +the discharging was about finished, and I had a chat with the +captain; superior chap, that. I told him I was interested in his +ship, for it was the largest I have ever seen up at my wharf, and +that I had been thinking of getting one something the same built. +I asked him if he would let me see over her, and he was most civil +and took me over the entire boat. There was no part of her we +didn't examine, and I'm prepared to swear there were no props left +on board. So we may take it that whatever else they're up to, +they're not carrying brandy in faked pit-props. Nor, so far as +I can see, in anything else either." + +The three men smoked in silence for some time and then Hilliard +spoke. + +"I suppose, Leatham, you can't think of any other theory, or suggest +anything else that we should do." + +"I can't suggest what you should do," returned Leatham, rising to +his feet and beginning to pace the room. "But I know what I should +do in your place. I'd go down to Scotland Yard, tell them what I +know, and then wash my hands of the whole affair." + +Hilliard sighed. + +"I'm afraid we shall have no option," he said slowly, "but I needn't +say we should much rather learn something more definite first." + +"I dare say, but you haven't been able to. Either these fellows +are a deal too clever for you, or else you are on the wrong track +altogether. And that's what I think. I don't believe there's any +smuggling going on there at all. It's some other game they're on +to. I don't know what it is, but I don't believe it's anything so +crude as smuggling." + +Again silence fell on the little group, and then Merriman, who had +for some time been lost in thought, made a sudden movement. + +"Lord!" he exclaimed, "but we have been fools over this thing! +There's another point we've all missed, which alone proves it +couldn't have been faked props. Here, Hilliard, this was your +theory, though I don't mean to saddle you with more imbecility +than myself. But anyway, according to your theory, what happened +to the props after they were unloaded?" + +Hilliard stared at this outburst. + +"After they were unloaded?" he repeated. "Why, returned of course +for the next cargo." + +"But that's just it," cried Merriman. "That's just what wasn't +done. We've seen that boat unloaded twice, and on neither occasion +were any props loaded to go back." + +"That's a point, certainly; yes," Leatham interposed. "I suppose +they would have to be used again and again? Each trip's props +couldn't be destroyed after arrival, and new ones made for the next +cargo?" + +Hilliard shook his head reluctantly. + +"No," he declared. "Impossible. Those things would cost a lot of +money. You see, no cheap scheme, say of shipping bottles into +hollowed props, would do. The props would have to be thoroughly +well made, so that they wouldn't break and give the show away if +accidentally dropped. They wouldn't pay unless they were used +several times over. I'm afraid Merriman's point is sound, and we +may give up the idea. + +Further discussion only strengthened this opinion, and the three +men had to admit themselves at a total loss as to their next move. +The only SUGGESTION in the field was that of Leatham, to inform +Scotland Yard, and that was at last approved by Hilliard as a +counsel of despair. + +"There's nothing else for it that I can see," he observed gloomily. +"We've done our best on our own and failed, and we may let someone +else have a shot now. My leave's nearly up anyway." + +Merriman said nothing at the time, but next day, when they had +taken leave of their host and were in train for King's Cross, he +reopened the subject. + +"I needn't say, Hilliard," he began, "I'm most anxious that the +police should not be brought in, and you know the reason why. If +she gets into any difficulty about the affair, you understand my +life's at an end for any good it'll do me. Let's wait a while and +think over the thing further, and perhaps we'll see daylight +before long." + +Hilliard made a gesture of impatience. + +"If you can suggest any single thing that we should do that we +haven't done, I'm ready to do it. But if you can't, I don't see +that we'd be justified in keeping all that knowledge to ourselves +for an indefinite time while we waited for an inspiration. Is not +that reasonable?" + +"It's perfectly reasonable," Merriman admitted, "and I don't +suggest we should wait indefinitely. What I propose is that we +wait for a month. Give me another month, Hilliard, and I'll be +satisfied. I have an idea that something might be learned from +tracing that lorry number business, and if you have to go back to +work I'll slip over by myself to Bordeaux and see what I can do. +And if I fail I'll see her, and try to get her to marry me in +spite of the trouble. Wait a month, Hilliard, and by that time +I shall know where I stand." + +Hilliard was extremely unwilling to agree to this proposal. Though +he realized that he could not hand over to his superiors a complete +case against the syndicate, he also saw that considerable kudos was +still possible if he supplied information which would enable their +detectives to establish one. And every day he delayed increased +the chance of someone else finding the key to the riddle, and thus +robbing him of his reward. Merriman realized the position, and he +therefore fully appreciated the sacrifice Hilliard was risking when +after a long discussion that young man gave his consent. + +Two days later Hilliard was back at his office, while Merriman, +after an argument with his partner not far removed from a complete +break, was on his way once more to the south of France. + + + +CHAPTER 10 + +MERRIMAN BECOMES DESPERATE + + +The failure of the attempt to learn the secret of the Pit-Prop +Syndicate affected Merriman more than he could have believed +possible. His interest in the affair was not that of Hilliard. +Neither the intellectual joy of solving a difficult problem for +its own sake, nor the kudos which such a solution might bring, +made much appeal to him. His concern was simply the happiness of +the girl he loved, and though, to do him justice, he did not think +overmuch of himself, he recognized that any barrier raised between +them was the end for him of all that made life endurable. + +As he lay back with closed eyes in the corner seat of a first-class +compartment in the boat train from Calais he went over for the +thousandth time the details of the problem as it affected himself. +Had Mr. Coburn rendered himself liable to arrest or even to penal +servitude, and did his daughter know it? The anxious, troubled +look which Merriman had on different occasions surprised on the +girl's expressive face made him fear both these possibilities. But +if they were true did it stop there? Was her disquietude due merely +to knowledge of her father's danger, or was she herself in peril +also? Merriman wondered could she have such knowledge and not be +in peril herself. In the eyes of the law would it not be a guilty +knowledge? Could she not be convicted as an accessory? + +If it were so he must act at once if he were to save her. But how? +He writhed under the terrible feeling of impotence produced by his +ignorance of the syndicate's real business. If he were to help +Madeleine he must know what the conspirators were doing. + +And he had failed to learn. He had failed, and Hilliard had failed, +and neither they nor Leatham had been able to suggest any method by +which the truth might be ascertained. + +There was, of course, the changing of the number plates. A trained +detective would no doubt be able to make something of that. But +Merriman felt that without even the assistance of Hilliard, he had +neither the desire nor the ability to tackle it. + +He pondered the question, as he had pondered it for weeks, and the +more he thought, the more he felt himself driven to the direct +course - to see Madeleine, put the problem to her, ask her to marry +him and come out of it all. But there were terrible objections to +this plan, not the least of which was that if he made a blunder it +might be irrevocable. She might not hear him at all. She might be +displeased by his SUGGESTION that she and her father were in danger +from such a cause. She might decide not to leave her father for +the very reason that he was in danger. And all these possibilities +were, of course, in addition to the much more probable one that she +would simply refuse him because she did not care about him. + +Merriman did not see his way clearly, and he was troubled. Once +he had made up his mind he was not easily turned from his purpose, +but he was slow in making it up. In this case, where so much +depended on his decision, he found his doubt actually painful. + +Mechanically he alighted at the Gare du Nord, crossed Paris, and +took his place in the southern express at the Quai d'Orsay. Here +he continued wrestling with his problem, and it was not until he +was near his destination that he arrived at a decision. He would +not bother about further investigations. He would go out and see +Madeleine, tell her everything, and put his fate into her hands. + +He alighted at the Bastide Station in Bordeaux, and driving across +to the city, put up at the Gironde Hotel. There he slept the night, +and next day after lunch he took a taxi to the clearing. + +Leaving the vehicle on the main road, he continued on foot down +the lane and past the depot until he reached the manager's house. + +The door was opened by Miss Coburn in person. On seeing her visitor +she stood for a moment quite motionless while a look of dismay +appeared in her eyes and a hot flush rose on her face and then +faded, leaving it white and drawn. + +"Oh!" she gasped faintly. "It's you!" She still stood holding +the door, as if overcome by some benumbing emotion. + +Merriman had pulled off his hat. + +"It is I, Miss Coburn," he answered gently. "I have come over from +London to see you. May I not come in?" + +She stepped back. + +"Come in, of course," she said, making an obvious effort to infuse +cordiality into her tone. "Come in here." + +He fumbled with his coat in the hall, and by the time he followed +her into the drawing-room she had recovered her composure. + +She began rather breathlessly to talk commonplaces. At first he +answered in the same strain, but directly he made a serious attempt +to turn the conversation to the subject of his call she adroitly +interrupted him. + +"You'll have some tea?" she said presently, getting up and moving +towards the door. + +"Er-no-no, thanks, Miss Coburn, not any. I wanted really - " + +"But I want some tea," she persisted, smiling. "Come, you may help +me to get it ready, but you must have some to keep me company." + +He had perforce to obey, and during the tea-making she effectually +prevented any serious discussion. But when the meal was over and +they had once more settled down in the drawing-room he would no +longer be denied. + +"Forgive me," he entreated, "forgive me for bothering you, but it's +so desperately important to me. And we may be interrupted. Do +hear what I've got to say." + +Without waiting for permission he plunged into the subject. Speaking +hoarsely, stammering, contradicting himself, boggling over the words, +he yet made himself clear. He loved her; had loved her from that +first day they had met; he loved her more than anything else in the +world; he - She covered her face with her hands. + +"Oh!" she cried wildly. "Don't go on! Don't say it!" She made a +despairing gesture. "I can't listen. I tried to stop you." + +Merriman felt as if a cold weight was slowly descending upon his +heart. + +"But I will speak," he cried hoarsely. "It's my life that's at +stake. Don't tell me you can't listen. Madeleine! I love you. +I want you to marry me. Say you'll marry me. Madeleine! Say +it!" + +He dropped on his knees before her and seized her hands in his own. + +"My darling," he whispered fiercely. "I love you enough for us +both. Say you'll marry me. Say - " + +She wrenched her hands from him. "Oh!" she cried as if heartbroken, +and burst into an uncontrollable flood of tears. + +Merriman was maddened beyond endurance by the sight + +"What a brute I am!" he gasped. "Now I've made you cry." + +For pity's sake! Do stop it! Nothing matters about anything else +if only you stop!" + +He was almost beside himself with misery as he pleaded with her. +But soon he pulled himself together and began to speak more +rationally. + +"At least tell me the reason," he besought. "I know I've no right +to ask, but it matters so much. Have pity and tell me, is it +someone else?" + +She shook her head faintly between her sobs. + +"Thank goodness for that anyway. Tell me once again. Is it that +you don't like me?" + +Again she shook her head. + +"You do like me!" he exclaimed breathlessly. "You do, Madeleine. +Say it! Say that you do!" + +She made a resolute effort for self-control. + +"You know I do, but - " she began in a tremulous whisper. In a +paroxysm of overwhelming excitement he interrupted her. + +"Madeleine," he cried wildly, again seizing her hands, "you don't + - it couldn't be possible that you - that you love me?" + +This time she did not withdraw her hands. Slowly she raised her +eyes to his, and in them he read his answer. In a moment she was +in his arms and he was crushing her to his heart. + +For a breathless space she lay, a happy little smile on her lips, +and then the moment passed. "Oh!" she cried, struggling to release +herself, "what have I done? Let me go! I shouldn't have - " + +"Darling," he breathed triumphantly. "I'll never let you go as +long as I live! You love me! What else matters?" + +"No, no," she cried again, her tears once more flowing. "I was +wrong. I shouldn't have allowed you. It can never be." + +He laughed savagely. + +"Never be?" he repeated. "Why, dear one, it is. I'd like to know +the person or thing that could stop it now!" + +"It can never be," she repeated in a voice of despair. "You don't +understand. There are obstacles." + +She argued. He scoffed first, then he pleaded. He demanded to be +told the nature of the barrier, then he besought, but all to no +purpose. She would say no more than that it could never be. + +And then - suddenly the question of the syndicate flashed into his +mind, and he sat, almost gasping with wonder as he realized that he +had entirely forgotten it! He had forgotten this mysterious +business which had occupied his thoughts to the exclusion of almost +all else for the past two months! It seemed to him incredible. +Yet so it was. + +There surged over him a feeling of relief, so that once more he all +but laughed. He turned to Madeleine. + +"I know," he cried triumphantly, "the obstacle. And it's just +nothing at all. It's this syndicate business that your father has +got mixed up in. Now tell me! Isn't that it?" + +The effect of his words on the girl was instantaneous. She started +and then sat quite still, while the color slowly drained from her +face, leaving it bleached and deathlike. A look of fear and horror +grew in her eyes, and her fingers clasped until the knuckles showed +white. + +"Oh!" she stammered brokenly, "what do you mean by that?" + +Merriman tried once more to take her hand. + +"Dear one," he said caressingly, "don't let what I said distress +you. We know the syndicate is carrying on something that - well, +perhaps wouldn't bear too close investigation. But that has +nothing to do with us. It won't affect our relations." + +The girl seemed transfixed with horror. + +"We know?" she repeated dully. "Who are we?" + +"Why, Hilliard; Hilliard and I. We found out quite by accident +that there was something secret going on. We were both interested; +Hilliard has a mania for puzzles, and besides he thought he might +get some kudos if the business was illegal and he could bring it +to light, while I knew that because of Mr. Coburn's connection +with it the matter might affect you." + +"Yes?" She seemed hardly able to frame the syllable between her +dry lips. + +Merriman was profoundly unhappy. He felt it was out of the question +for him to tell her anything but the exact truth. Whether she +would consider he had acted improperly in spying on the syndicate +he did not know, but even at the risk of destroying his own chance +of happiness he could not deceive her. + +"Dear one," he said in a low tone, "don't think any worse of me +than you can help, and I will tell you everything. You remember +that first day that I was here, when you met me in the lane and +we walked to the mill?" + +She nodded. + +"You may recall that a lorry had just arrived, and that I stopped +and stared at it? Well, I had noticed that the number plate had +been changed." + +"Ah," she exclaimed, "I was afraid you had." + +"Yes, I saw it, though it conveyed nothing to me. But I was +interested, and one night in London, just to make conversation in +the club, I mentioned what I had seen. Hilliard was present, and +he joined me on the way home and insisted on talking over the +affair. As I said, he has a mania for puzzles, and the mystery +appealed to him. He was going on that motorboat tour across +France, and he suggested that I should join him and that we should +call here on our way, so as to see if we could find the solution. +Neither of us thought then, you understand, that there was anything +wrong; he was merely interested. I didn't care about the mystery, +but I confess I leaped at the idea of coming back in order to meet +you again, and on the understanding that there was to be nothing +in the nature of spying, I agreed to his proposal." + +Merriman paused, but the girl, whose eyes were fixed intently on +his face, made no remark, and he continued: + +"While we were here, Hilliard, who is very observant and clever, +saw one or two little things which excited his suspicion, and +without telling me, he slipped on board the Girondin and overheard +a conversation between Mr. Coburn, Captain Beamish, Mr. Bulla, and +Henri. He learned at once that something serious and illegal was +in progress, but he did not learn what it was." + +"Then there was spying," she declared accusingly. + +"There was," he admitted. "I can only say that under the +circumstances he thought himself justified." + +"Go on," she ordered shortly. + +"We returned then to England, and were kept at our offices for about +a week. But Hilliard felt that we could not drop the matter, as we +should then become accomplices. Besides, he was interested. He +proposed we should try to find out more about it. This time I +agreed, but I would ask you, Madeleine, to believe me when I tell +you my motive, and to judge me by it. He spoke of reporting what +he had learned to the police, and if I hadn't agreed to help him +he would have done so. I wanted at all costs to avoid that, because +if there was going to be any trouble I wanted Mr. Coburn to be out +of it first. Believe me or not, that was my only reason for +agreeing." + +"I do believe you," she said, "but finish what you have to tell me." + +"We learned from Lloyd's List that the Girondin put into Hull. We +went there and at Ferriby, seven miles up-stream, we found the depot +where she discharged the props. You don't know it?" + +She shook her head. + +"It's quite like this place; just a wharf and shed, with an +enclosure between the river and the railway. We made all the +inquiries and investigations we could think of, but we learned +absolutely nothing. But that, unfortunately, is the worst of it. +Hilliard is disgusted with our failure and appears determined to +tell the police." + +"Oh!" cried the girl with an impatient gesture. "Why can't he let +it alone? It's not his business." + +Merriman shrugged his shoulders. + +"That's what he said at all events. I had the greatest difficulty +in getting him to promise even to delay. But he has promised, and +we have a month to make our plans. I came straight over to tell +you, and to ask you to marry me at once and come away with me to +England." + +"Oh, no, no, no!" she cried, putting up her hand as if to shield +herself from the idea. "Besides, what about my father?" + +"I've thought about him too," Merriman returned. "We will tell +him the whole thing, and he will be able to get out before the +crash comes." + +For some moments she sat in silence; then she asked had Hilliard +any idea of what was being done. + +"He suggested brandy smuggling, but it was only a theory. There +was nothing whatever to support it." + +"Brandy smuggling? Oh, if it only were!" + +Merriman stared in amazement. + +"It wouldn't be so bad as what I had feared," the girl added, +answering his look. + +"And that was - ? Do trust me, Madeleine." + +"I do trust you, and I will tell you all I know; it isn't much. I +was afraid they were printing and circulating false money." + +Merriman was genuinely surprised. + +"False money?" he repeated blankly. + +"Yes; English Treasury notes. I thought they were perhaps printing +them over here, and sending some to England with each trip of the +Girondin. It was a remark I accidentally overheard that made me +think so. But, like you, it was only a guess. I had no proof." + +"Tell me," Merriman begged. + +"It was last winter when the evenings closed in early. I had had a +headache and I had gone to rest for a few minutes in the next room, +the dining-room, which was in darkness. The door between it and +this room was almost but not quite closed. I must have fallen +asleep, for I suddenly became conscious of voices in here, though +I had heard no one enter. I was going to call out when a phrase +arrested my attention. I did not mean to listen, but involuntarily +I stayed quiet for a moment. You understand?" + +"Of course. It was the natural thing to do." + +"Captain Beamish was speaking. He was just finishing a sentence +and I only caught the last few words. 'So that's a profit of six +thousand, seven hundred and fifty pounds,' he said; 'fifty pounds +loss on the props, and six thousand seven hundred netted over the +other. Not bad for one trip!'" + +"Lord!" Merriman exclaimed in amazement. "No wonder you stopped!" + +"I couldn't understand what was meant, and while I sat undecided +what to do I heard my father say, 'No trouble planting the stuff?' +Captain Beamish answered, 'Archer said not, but then Archer is - +Archer. He's planting it in small lots - ten here, twenty there, +fifty in t'other place; I don't think he put out more than fifty +at any one time. And he says he's only learning his way round, and +that he'll be able to form better connections to get rid of it.' +Then Mr. Bulla spoke, and this was what upset me so much and made +me think, 'Mr. Archer is a wonderful man,' he said with that +horrible fat chuckle of his, 'he would plant stuff on Old Nick +himself with the whole of the C.I.D. looking on.' I was bewildered +and rather horrified, and I did not wait to hear any more. I crept +away noiselessly, and I didn't want to be found as it were listening. +Even then I did not understand that anything was wrong, but it +happened that the very next day I was walking through the forest +near the lane, and I noticed Henri changing the numbers on the lorry. +He didn't see me, and he had such a stealthy surreptitious air, that +I couldn't but see it was not a joke. Putting two and two together +I felt something serious was going on, and that night I asked my +father what it was." + +"Well done!" Merriman exclaimed admiringly. + +"But it was no use. He made little of it at first, but when I +pressed him he said that against his will he had been forced into +an enterprise which he hated and which he was trying to get out of. +He said I must be patient and we should get away from it as quickly +as possible. But since then," she added despondently, "though I +have returned to the subject time after time he has always put me +off, saying that we must wait a little longer." + +"And then you thought of the false notes?" + +"Yes, but I had no reason to do so except that I couldn't think of +anything else that would fit the words I had overheard. Planting +stuff by tens or twenties or fifties seemed to - " + +There was a sudden noise in the hall and Madeleine broke off to +listen. + +"Father," she whispered breathlessly. "Don't say anything." + +Merriman had just time to nod when the door opened and Mr. Coburn +appeared on the threshold. For a moment he stood looking at his +daughter's visitor, while the emotions of doubt, surprise and +annoyance seemed to pass successively through his mind. Then he +advanced with outstretched hand and a somewhat satirical smile +on his lips. + +"Ah, it is the good Merriman," he exclaimed. "Welcome once more +to our humble abode. And where is brother Hilliard? You don't +mean to say you have come without him?" + +His tone jarred on Merriman, but he answered courteously: "I left +him in London. I had business bringing me to this neighborhood, +and when I reached Bordeaux I took the opportunity to run out to +see you and Miss Coburn." + +The manager replied suitably, and the conversation became general. +As soon as he could with civility, Merriman rose to go. Mr. Coburn +cried out in protest, but the other insisted. + +Mr. Coburn had become more cordial, and the two men strolled +together across the clearing. Merriman had had no opportunity of +further private conversation with Madeleine, but he pressed her +hand and smiled at her encouragingly on saying good-bye. + +As the taxi bore him swiftly back towards Bordeaux, his mind was +occupied with the girl to the exclusion of all else. It was not +so much that he thought definitely about her, as that she seemed to +fill all his consciousness. He felt numb, and his whole being ached +for her as with a dull physical pain. But it was a pain that was +mingled with exultation, for if she had refused him, she had at +least admitted that she loved him. Incredible thought! He smiled +ecstatically, then, the sense of loss returning, once more gazed +gloomily ahead into vacancy. As the evening wore on his thoughts +turned towards what she had said about the syndicate. Her forged +note theory had come to him as a complete surprise, and he wondered +whether she really had hit on the true solution of the mystery. The +conversation she had overheard undoubtedly pointed in that direction. +"Planting stuff" was, he believed, the technical phrase for passing +forged notes, and the reference to "tens," "twenties," and +"fifties," tended in the same direction. Also "forming connections +to get rid of it" seemed to suggest the finding of agents who would +take a number of notes at a time, to be passed on by ones and twos, +no doubt for a consideration. + +But there was the obvious difficulty that the theory did not account +for the operations as a whole. The elaborate mechanism of the +pit-prop industry was not needed to provide a means of carrying +forged notes from France to England. They could be secreted about +the person of a traveller crossing by any of the ordinary routes. +Hundreds of notes could be sewn into the lining of an overcoat, +thousands carried in the double bottom of a suitcase. Of course, +so frequent a traveller would require a plausible reason for his +journeys, but that would present no difficulty to men like those +composing the syndicate. In any case, by crossing in rotation by +the dozen or so well-patronized routes between England and the +Continent, the continuity of the travelling could be largely hidden. +Moreover, thought Merriman, why print the notes in France at all? +Why not produce them in England and so save the need for importation? + +On the whole there seemed but slight support for the theory and +several strong arguments against it, and he felt that Madeleine must +be mistaken, just as he and Hilliard had been mistaken. + +Oh! how sick of the whole business he was! He no longer cared +what the syndicate was doing. He never wanted to hear of it again. +He wanted Madeleine, and he wanted nothing else. His thoughts +swung back to her as he had seen her that afternoon; her trim +figure, her daintiness, her brown eyes clouded with trouble, her +little shell-like ears escaping from the tendrils of her hair, her +tears .... He broke out once more into a cold sweat as he thought +of those tears. + +Presently he began wondering what his own next step should be, and +he soon decided he must see her again, and with as little delay as +possible. + +The next afternoon, therefore, he once more presented himself at +the house in the clearing. This time the door was opened by an +elderly servant, who handed him a note and informed him that Mr. +and Miss Coburn had left home for some days. + +Bitterly disappointed he turned away, and in the solitude of the +lane he opened the note. It read: + + "Friday. + +"Dear Mr. Merriman, - I feel it is quite impossible that we should +part without a word more than could be said at our interrupted +interview this afternoon, so with deep sorrow I am writing to you +to say to you, dear Mr. Merriman, 'Good-bye.' I have enjoyed our +short friendship, and all my life I shall be proud that you spoke +as you did, but, my dear, it is just because I think so much of +you that I could not bring your life under the terrible cloud that +hangs over mine. Though it hurts me to say it, I have no option +but to ask you to accept the answer I gave you as final, and to +forget that we met. + +"I am leaving home for some time, and I beg of you not to give both +of us more pain by trying to follow me. Oh, my dear, I cannot say +how grieved I am. + + "Your sincere friend, + "Madeleine Coburn." + + +Merriman was overwhelmed utterly by the blow. Mechanically he +regained the taxi, where he lay limply back, gripping the note and +unconscious of his position, while his bloodless lips repeated over +and over again the phrase, "I'll find her. I'll find her. If it +takes me all my life I'll find her and I'll marry her." + +Like a man in a state of coma he returned to his hotel in Bordeaux, +and there, for the first time in his life, he drank himself into +forgetfulness. + + + +CHAPTER 11 + +AN UNEXPECTED ALLY + + +For several days Merriman, sick at heart and shaken in body, remained +on at Bordeaux, too numbed by the blow which had fallen on him to +take any decisive action. He now understood that Madeleine Coburn +had refused him because she loved him, and he vowed he would rest +neither day nor night till he had seen her and obtained a reversal +of her decision. But for the moment his energy had departed, and he +spent his time smoking in the Jardin and brooding over his troubles. + +It was true that on three separate occasions he had called at the +manager's house, only to be told that Mr. and Miss Coburn were still +from home, and neither there nor from the foreman at the works could +he learn their addresses or the date of their return. He had also +written a couple of scrappy notes to Hilliard, merely saying he was +on a fresh scent, and to make no move in the matter until he heard +further. Of the Pit-Prop Syndicate as apart from Madeleine he was +now profoundly wearied, and he wished for nothing more than never +again to hear its name mentioned. + +But after a week of depression and self-pity his natural good sense +reasserted itself, and he began seriously to consider his position. +He honestly believed that Madeleine's happiness could best be +brought about by the fulfilment of his own, in other words by their +marriage. He appreciated the motives which had caused her to refuse +him, but he hoped that by his continued persuasion he might be able, +as he put it to himself, to talk her round. Her very flight from +him, for such he believed her absence to be, seemed to indicate that +she herself was doubtful of her power to hold out against him, and +to this extent he drew comfort from his immediate difficulty. + +He concluded before trying any new plan to call once again at the +clearing, in the hope that Mr. Coburn at least might have returned. +The next afternoon, therefore, saw him driving out along the now +familiar road. It was still hot, with the heavy enervating heat of +air held stagnant by the trees. The freshness of early summer had +gone, and there was a hint of approaching autumn in the darker +greenery of the firs, and the overmaturity of such shrubs and wild +flowers as could find along the edge of the road a precarious +roothold on the patches of ground not covered by pine needles. +Merriman gazed unceasingly ahead at the straight white ribbon of +the road, as he pondered the problem of what he should do if once +again he should be disappointed in his quest. Madeleine could not, +he thought, remain indefinitely away. Mr. Coburn at all events +would have to return to his work, and it would be a strange thing +if he could not obtain from the father some indication of his +daughter's whereabouts. + +But his call at the manager's house was as fruitless on this +occasion as on those preceding. The woman from whom he had received +the note opened the door and repeated her former statement. Mr. +and Miss Coburn were still from home. + +Merriman turned away disconsolately, and walked slowly back across +the clearing and down the lane. Though he told himself he had +expected nothing from the visit, he was nevertheless bitterly +disappointed with its result. And worse than his disappointment +was his inability to see his next step, or even to think of any +scheme which might lead him to the object of his hopes. + +He trudged on down the lane, his head sunk and his brows knitted, +only half conscious of his surroundings. Looking up listlessly as +he rounded a bend, he stopped suddenly as if turned to stone, while +his heart first stood still, then began thumping wildly as if to +choke him. A few yards away and coming to meet him was Madeleine! + +She caught sight of him at the same instant and stopped with a low +cry, while an expression of dread came over her face. So for an +appreciable time they stood looking at one another, then Merriman, +regaining the power of motion, sprang forward and seized her hands. + +"Madeleine! Madeleine!" he cried brokenly. "My own one! My +beloved!" He almost sobbed as he attempted to strain her to his +heart. + +But she wrenched herself from him. + +"No, no!" she gasped. "You must not! I told you. It cannot be." + +He pleaded with her, fiercely, passionately, and at last despairingly. +But he could not move her. Always she repeated that it could not be. + +"At least tell me this," he begged at last. "Would you marry me if +this syndicate did not exist; I mean if Mr. Coburn was not mixed up +with it?" + +At first she would not answer, but presently, overcome by his +persistence, she burst once again into tears and admitted that her +fear of disgrace arising through discovery of the syndicate's +activities was her only reason for refusal. + +"Then," said Merriman resolutely, "I will go back with you now and +see Mr. Coburn, and we will talk over what is to be done." + +At this her eyes dilated with terror. + +"No, no!" she cried again. "He would be in danger. He would try +something that might offend the others, and his life might not be +safe. I tell you I don't trust Captain Beamish and Mr. Bulla. I +don't think they would stop at anything to keep their secret. He +is trying to get out of it, and he must not be hurried. He will do +what he can." + +"But, my dearest," Merriman remonstrated, "it could do no harm, to +talk the matter over with him. That would commit him to nothing." + +But she would not hear of it. + +"If he thought my happiness depended on it," she declared, "he would +break with them at all costs. I could not risk it. You must go +away. Oh, my dear, you must go. Go, go!" she entreated almost +hysterically, "it will be best for us both." + +Merriman, though beside himself with suffering, felt he could no +longer disregard her. + +"I shall go," he answered sadly, "since you require it, but I will +never give you up. Not until one of us is dead or you marry someone +else - I will never give you up. Oh, Madeleine, have pity and give +me some hope; something to keep me alive till this trouble is over." + +She was beginning to reply when she stopped suddenly and stood +listening. + +"The lorry!" she cried. "Go! Go!" Then pointing wildly in the +direction of the road, she turned and fled rapidly back towards +the clearing. + +Merriman gazed after her until she passed round a corner of the +lane and was lost to sight among the trees. Then, with a weight +of hopeless despair on his heart, he began to walk towards the road. +The lorry, driven by Henri, passed him at the next bend, and Henri, +though he saluted with a show of respect, smiled sardonically as he +noted the other's woebegone appearance. + +But Merriman neither knew nor cared what the driver thought. Almost +physically sick with misery and disappointment, he regained his taxi +and was driven back to Bordeaux. + +The next few days seemed to him like a nightmare of hideous reality +and permanence. He moved as a man in a dream, living under a shadow +of almost tangible weight, as a criminal must do who has been +sentenced to early execution. The longing to see Madeleine again, +to hear the sound of her voice, to feel her presence, was so intense +as to be almost unendurable. Again and again he said to himself that +had she cared for another, had she even told him that she could not +care for him, he would have taken his dismissal as irrevocable and +gone to try and drag out the remainder of his life elsewhere as best +he could. But he was maddened to think that the major difficulty - +the overwhelming, insuperable difficulty - of his suit had been +overcome. She loved him! Miraculous and incredible though it might +seem - though it was - it was the amazing truth. And that being so, +it was beyond bearing that a mere truckling to convention should be +allowed to step in and snatch away the ecstasy of happiness that was +within his grasp. And worse still, this trucking to convention was +to save him! What, he asked himself, did it matter about him? Even +if the worst happened and she suffered shame through her father, +wasn't all he wanted to be allowed to share it with her? And if +narrow, stupid fools did talk, what matter? They could do without +their companionship. + +Fits of wild rage alternated with periods of cold and numbing +despair, but as day succeeded day the desire to be near her grew +until it could no longer be denied. He dared not again attempt to +force himself into her presence, lest she should be angry and shatter +irrevocably the hope to which he still clung with desperation. But +he might without fear of disaster be nearer to her for a time. He +hired a bicycle, and after dark had fallen that evening he rode out +to the lane, and leaving his machine on the road, walked to the edge +of the clearing. It was a perfect night, calm and silent, though +with a slight touch of chill in the air. A crescent moon shone soft +and silvery, lighting up pallidly the open space, gleaming on the +white wood of the freshly cut stumps, and throwing black shadows +from the ghostly looking buildings. It was close on midnight, and +Merriman looked eagerly across the clearing to the manager's house. +He was not disappointed. There, in the window that he knew belonged +to her room, shone a light. + +He slowly approached, keeping on the fringe of the clearing and +beneath the shadow of the trees. Some shrubs had taken root on the +open ground, and behind a clump of these, not far from the door, he +lay down, filled his pipe, and gave himself up to his dreams. The +light still showed in the window, but even as he looked it went out, +leaving the front of the house dark and, as it seemed to him, +unfriendly and forbidding. "Perhaps she'll look out before going +to bed," he thought, as he gazed disconsolately at the blank, +unsympathetic opening. But he could see no movement therein. + +He lost count of time as he lay dreaming of the girl whose existence +had become more to him than his very life, and it was not until he +suddenly realized that he had become stiff and cramped from the cold +that he looked at his watch. Nearly two! Once more he glanced +sorrowfully at the window, realizing that no comfort was to be +obtained therefrom, and decided he might as well make his way back, +for all the ease of mind he was getting. + +He turned slowly to get up, but just as he did so he noticed a +slight movement at the side of the house before him, and he remained +motionless, gazing intently forward. Then, spellbound, he watched +Mr. Coburn leave by the side door, walk quickly to the shed, unlock +a door, and disappear within. + +There was something so secretive in the way the manager looked +around before venturing into the open, and so stealthy about his +whole walk and bearing, that Merriman's heart beat more quickly as +he wondered if he was now on the threshold of some revelation of the +mystery of that outwardly innocent place. Obeying a sudden instinct, +he rose from his hiding-place in the bushes and crept silently +across the sward to the door by which the other had entered. + +It was locked, and the whole place was dark and silent. Were it not +for what he had just seen, Merriman would have believed it deserted. +But it was evident that some secret and perhaps sinister activity +was in progress within, and for the moment he forgot even Madeleine +in his anxiety to learn its nature. + +He crept silently round the shed, trying each door and peering into +each window, but without result. All remained fast and in darkness, +and though he listened with the utmost intentness of which he was +capable, he could not catch any sound. + +His round of the building completed, he paused in doubt. Should he +retire while there was time, and watch for Mr. Coburn's reappearance +with perhaps some of his accomplices, or should he wait at the door +and tackle him on the matter when he came out? His first preference +was for the latter course, but as he thought it over he felt it +would be better to reserve his knowledge, and he turned to make for +cover. + +But even as he did so he heard the manager say in low harsh tones: +"Hands up now, or I fire!" and swinging round, he found himself +gazing into the bore of a small deadly-looking repeating pistol. + +Automatically he raised his arms, and for a few moments both men +stood motionless, staring perplexedly at one another. Then Mr. +Coburn lowered the pistol and attempted a laugh, a laugh nervous, +shaky, and without merriment. His lips smiled, but his eyes +remained cold and venomous. + +"Good heavens, Merriman, but you did give me a start," he cried, +making an evident effort to be jocular. "What in all the world are +you doing here at this hour? Sorry for my greeting, but one has to +be careful here. You know the district is notorious for brigands." + +Merriman was not usually very prompt to meet emergencies. He +generally realized when it was too late what he ought to have said +or done in any given circumstances. But on this occasion a flash +of veritable inspiration revealed a way by which he might at one +and the same time account for his presence, disarm the manager's +suspicions, and perhaps even gain his point with regard to Madeleine. +He smiled back at the other. + +"Sorry for startling you. Mr. Coburn. I have been looking for you +for some days to discuss a very delicate matter, and I came out late +this evening in the hope of attracting your attention after Miss +Coburn had retired, so that our chat could be quite confidential. +But in the darkness I fell and hurt my knee, and I spent so much +time in waiting for it to get better that I was ashamed to go to the +house. Imagine my delight when, just as I was turning to leave, I +saw you coming down to the shed, and I followed with the object of +trying to attract your attention." + +He hardly expected that Mr. Coburn would have accepted his statement, +but whatever the manager believed privately, he gave no sign of +suspicion. + +"I'm glad your journey was not fruitless," he answered courteously. +"As a matter of fact, my neuralgia kept me from sleeping, and I +found I had forgotten my bottle of aspirin down here, where I had +brought it for the same purpose this morning. It seemed worth the +trouble of coming for it, and I came." + +As he spoke Mr. Coburn took from his pocket and held up for +Merriman's inspection a tiny phial half full of white tablets. + +It was now Merriman's turn to be sceptical, but he murmured polite +regrets in as convincing a way as he was able. "Let us go back into +my office," the manager continued. "If you want a private chat +you can have it there." + +He unlocked the door, and passing in first, lit a reading lamp on +his desk. Then relocking the door behind his visitor and +unostentatiously slipping the key into his pocket, he sat down at +the desk, waved Merriman to a chair, and producing a box of cigars, +passed it across. + +The windows, Merriman noticed, were covered by heavy blinds, and it +was evident that no one could see into the room, nor could the light +be observed from without. The door behind him was locked, and in +Mr. Coburn's pocket was the key as well as a revolver, while +Merriman was unarmed. Moreover, Mr. Coburn was the larger and +heavier, if not the stronger man of the two. It was true his words +and manner were those of a friend, but the cold hatred in his eyes +revealed his purpose. Merriman instantly realized he was in very +real personal danger, and it was borne in on him that if he was to +get out of that room alive, it was to his own wits he must trust. + +But he was no coward, and he did not forget to limp as he crossed +the room, nor did his hand shake as he stretched it out to take a +cigar. When he came within the radius of the lamp he noticed with +satisfaction that his coat was covered with fragments of moss and +leaves, and he rather ostentatiously brushed these away, partly to +prove to the other his calmness, and partly to draw attention to +them in the hope that they would be accepted as evidence of his fall. + +Fearing lest if they began a desultory conversation he might be +tricked by his astute opponent into giving himself away, he left +the latter no opportunity to make a remark, but plunged at once +into his subject. + +"I feel myself, Mr. Coburn," he began, "not a little in your debt +for granting me this interview. But the matter on which I wish +to speak to you is so delicate and confidential, that I think you +will agree that any precautions against eavesdroppers are +justifiable." + +He spoke at first somewhat formally, but as interest in his subject +quickened, he gradually became more conversational. + +"The first thing I have to tell you," he went on, "may not be very +pleasant hearing to you, but it is a matter of almost life and death +importance to me. I have come, Mr. Coburn, very deeply and sincerely +to love your daughter." + +Mr. Coburn frowned slightly, but he did not seem surprised, nor did +he reply except by a slight bow. Merriman continued: + +"That in itself need not necessarily be of interest to you, but +there is more to tell, and it is in this second point that the real +importance of my statement lies, and on it hinges everything that +I have to say to you. Madeleine, sir, has given me a definite +assurance that my love for her is returned." + +Still Mr. Coburn made no answer, save then by another slight +inclination of his head, but his eyes had grown anxious and troubled. + +"Not unnaturally," Merriman resumed, "I begged her to marry me, but +she saw fit to decline. In view of the admission she had just made, +I was somewhat surprised that her refusal was so vehement. I +pressed her for the reason, but she utterly declined to give it. +Then an idea struck me, and I asked her if it was because she feared +that your connection with this syndicate might lead to unhappiness. +At first she would not reply nor give me any satisfaction, but at +last by persistent questioning, and only when she saw I knew a great +deal more about the business than she did herself, she admitted that +that was indeed the barrier. Not to put too fine a point on it - +it is better, is it not, sir, to be perfectly candid - she is living +in terror and dread of your arrest, and she won't marry me for fear +that if it were to happen she might bring disgrace on me." + +Mr. Coburn had not moved during this speech, except that his face +had become paler and the look of cold menace in his eyes seemed +charged with a still more vindictive hatred. Then he answered +slowly: + +"I can only assume, Mr. Merriman, that your mind has become +temporarily unhinged, but even with such an excuse, you cannot +really believe that I am going to wait here and listen to you +making such statements." + +Merriman bent forward. + +"Sir," he said earnestly, "I give you my word of honor and earnestly +ask you to believe that I am approaching you as a friend. I am +myself an interested party. I have sought this interview for +Madeleine's sake. For her sake, and for her sake only, I have come +to ask you to discuss with me the best way out of the difficulty." + +Mr. Coburn rose abruptly. + +"The best way out of the difficulty," he declared, no longer +attempting to disguise the hatred he felt, "is for you to take +yourself off and never to show your face here again. I am amazed +at you." He took his automatic pistol out of his pocket. "Don't +you know that you are completely in my power? If I chose I could +shoot you like a dog and sink your body in the river, and no one +would ever know what had become of you." + +Merriman's heart was beating rapidly. He had the uncomfortable +suspicion that he had only to turn his back to get a bullet into it. +He assumed a confidence he was far from feeling. + +"On the contrary, Mr. Coburn," he said quietly, "it is you who are +in our power. I'm afraid you don't quite appreciate the situation. +It is true you could shoot me now, but if you did, nothing could +save you. It would be the rope for you and prison for your +confederates, and what about your daughter then? I tell you, sir, +I'm not such a fool as you take me for. Knowing what I do, do you +think it likely I should put myself in your power unless I knew I +was safe?" + +His assurance was not without its effect. The other's face grew +paler and he sat heavily down in his chair. + +"I'll hear what you have to say," he said harshly, though without +letting go his weapon. + +"Then let me begin at the beginning. You remember that first +evening I was here, when you so kindly supplied me with petrol? +Sir, you were correct when you told Captain Beamish and Mr. Bulla +that I had noticed the changing of the lorry number plate. I had." + +Mr. Coburn started slightly, but he did not speak, and Merriman +went on: + +"I was interested, though the thing conveyed nothing to me. But +some time later I mentioned it casually, and Hilliard, who has a +mania for puzzles, overheard. He suggested my joining him on his +trip, and calling to see if we could solve it. You, Mr. Coburn, +said another thing to your friends - that though I might have +noticed about the lorry, you were certain neither Hilliard nor I +had seen anything suspicious at the clearing. There, sir, you were +wrong. Though at that time we could not tell what was going on, +we knew it was something illegal." + +Coburn was impressed at last. He sat motionless, staring at the +speaker. As Merriman remained silent, he moved. + +"Go on," he said hoarsely, licking his dry lips. + +"I would ask you please to visualize the situation when we left. +Hilliard believed he was on the track of a criminal organization, +carrying on illicit operations on a large scale. He believed that +by lodging with the police the information he had gained, the +break-up of the organization and the capture of its members would +be assured, and that he would stand to gain much kudos. But he did +not know what the operations were, and he hesitated to come forward, +lest by not waiting and investigating further he should destroy his +chance of handing over to the authorities a complete case. He was +therefore exceedingly keen that we should carry on inquiries at what +I may call the English end of the business. Such was Hilliard's +attitude. I trust I make myself clear." + +Again Coburn nodded without speaking. + +"My position was different. I had by that time come to care for +Madeleine, and I saw the effect any disclosure must have on her. I +therefore wished things kept secret, and I urged Hilliard to carry +out his second idea and investigate further so as to make his case +complete. He made my assistance a condition of agreement, and I +therefore consented to help him." + +Mr. Coburn was now ghastly, and was listening with breathless +earnestness to his visitor. Merriman realized what he had always +suspected, that the man was weak and a bit of a coward, and he +began to believe his bluff would carry him through. + +"I need not trouble you," he went on, "with all the details of our +search. It is enough to say that we found out what we wanted. We +went to Hull, discovered the wharf at Ferriby, made the acquaintance +of Benson, and witnessed what went on there. We know all about +Archer and how he plants your stuff, and Morton, who had us under +observation and whom we properly tricked. I don't claim any credit +for it; all that belongs to Hilliard. And I admit we did not learn +certain small details of your scheme. But the main points are +clear - clear enough to get convictions anyway." + +After a pause to let his words create their full effect, Merriman +continued: + +"Then arose the problem that had bothered us before. Hilliard was +wild to go to the authorities with his story; on Madeleine's account +I still wanted it kept quiet. I needn't recount our argument. +Suffice it to say that at last we compromised. Hilliard agreed to +wait for a month. For the sake of our friendship and the help I +had given him, he undertook to give me a month to settle something +about Madeleine. Mr. Coburn, nearly half that month is gone and I +am not one step farther on." + +The manager wiped the drops of sweat from his pallid brow. Merriman's +quiet, confident manner, with its apparent absence of bluff or threat, +had had its effect on him. He was evidently thoroughly frightened, +and seemed to think it no longer worth while to plead ignorance. As +Merriman had hoped and intended, he appeared to conclude that +conciliation would be his best chance. + +"Then no one but you two know so far?" he asked, a shifty, sly look +passing over his face. + +Merriman read his thoughts and bluffed again. + +"Yes and no," he answered. "No one but we two know at present. On +the other hand, we have naturally taken all reasonable precautions. +Hilliard prepared a full statement of the matter which we both +signed, and this he sent to his banker with a request that unless he +claimed it in person before the given date, the banker was to convey +it to Scotland Yard. If anything happens to me here, Hilliard will +go at once to the Yard, and if anything happens to him our document +will be sent there. And in it we have suggested that if either of +us disappear, it will be equivalent to adding murder to the other +charges made." + +It was enough. Mr. Coburn sat, broken and completely cowed. To +Merriman he seemed suddenly to have become an old man. For several +minutes silence reigned, and then at last the other spoke. + +"What do you want me to do?" he asked, in a tremulous voice, hardly +louder than a whisper. + +Merriman's heart leaped. + +"To consider your daughter, Mr. Coburn," he answered promptly. +"All I want is to marry Madeleine, and for her sake I want you to +get out of this thing before the crash comes." + +Mr. Coburn once more wiped the drops of sweat from his forehead. + +"Good lord!" he cried hoarsely. "Ever since it started I have been +trying to get out of it. I was forced into it against my will and +I would give my soul if I could do as you say and get free. But I +can't - I can't." + +He buried his head in his hands and sat motionless, leaning on his +desk. + +"But your daughter, Mr. Coburn," Merriman persisted. "For her sake +something must be done." + +Mr. Coburn shook his clenched fists in the air. + +"Damnation take you!" he cried, with a sudden access of rage, "do +you think I care about myself? Do you think I'd sit here and +listen to you talking as you've done if it wasn't for her? I tell +you I'd shoot you as you sit, if I didn't know from my own +observation that she is fond of you. I swear it's the only thing +that has saved you." He rose to his feet and began pacing jerkily +to and fro. "See here," he continued wildly, "go away from here +before I do it. I can't stand any more of you at present. Go now +and come back on Friday night at the same time, and I'll tell you +of my decision. Here's the key," he threw it down on the desk. +"Get out quick before I do for you!" + +Merriman was for a moment inclined to stand his ground, but, +realizing that not only had he carried his point as far as he could +have expected, but also that his companion was in so excited a +condition as hardly to be accountable for his actions, he decided +discretion was the better part, and merely saying: "Very well, +Friday night," he unlocked the door and took his leave. + +On the whole he was well pleased with his interview. In the first +place, he had by his readiness escaped an imminent personal danger. +What was almost as important, he had broken the ice with Mr. Coburn +about Madeleine, and the former had not only declared that he was +aware of the state of his daughter's feelings, but he had expressed +no objection to the proposed match. Further, an understanding as +to Mr. Coburn's own position had been come to. He had practically +admitted that the syndicate was a felonious conspiracy, and had +stated that he would do almost anything to get out of it. Finally +he had promised a decision on the whole question in three days' +time. Quite a triumph, Merriman thought. + +On the other hand he had given the manager a warning of the danger +which the latter might communicate to his fellow-conspirators, with +the result that all of them might escape from the net in which +Hilliard, at any rate, wished to enmesh them. And just to this +extent he had become a co-partner in their crime. And though it +was true that he had escaped from his immediate peril, he had +undoubtedly placed himself and Hilliard in very real danger. It +was by no means impossible that the gang would decide to murder +both of the men whose knowledge threatened them, in the hope of +bluffing the bank manager out of the letter which they would +believe he held. Merriman had invented this letter on the spur +of the moment and he would have felt a good deal happier if he +knew that it really existed. He decided that he would write to +Hilliard immediately and get him to make it a reality. + +A great deal, he thought, depended on the character of Coburn. If +he was weak and cowardly he would try to save his own skin and let +the others walk into the net particularly might he do this if he +had suffered at their hands in the way he suggested. On the other +hand, a strong man would undoubtedly consult his fellow-conspirators +and see that a pretty determined fight was made for their liberty +and their source of gain. + +He had thought of all this when it suddenly flashed into his mind +that Mr. Coburn's presence in the shed at two in the morning in +itself required a lot of explanation. He did not for a moment +believe the aspirin story. The man had looked so shifty while he +was speaking, that even at the time Merriman had decided he was +lying. What then could he have been doing? + +He puzzled over the questions but without result. Then it occurred +to him that as he was doing nothing that evening he might as well +ride out again to the clearing and see if any nocturnal activities +were undertaken. + +Midnight therefore found him once more ensconced behind a group of +shrubs in full view of both the house and the shed. It was again a +perfect night, and again he lay dreaming of the girl who was so near +in body and in spirit, and yet so infinitely far beyond his reach. + +Time passed slowly, but the hours wore gradually round until his +watch showed two o'clock. Then, just as he was thinking that he +need hardly wait much longer, he was considerably thrilled to see +Mr. Coburn once more appear at the side door of the house, and in +the same stealthy, secretive way as on the previous night, walk +hurriedly to the shed and let himself in by the office door. + +At first Merriman thought of following him again in the hope of +learning the nature of these strange proceedings, but a moment's +thought showed him he must run no risk of discovery. If Coburn +learned that he was being spied on he would at once doubt Merriman's +statement that he knew the syndicate's secret. It would be better, +therefore, to lie low and await events. + +But the only other INTERESTING event that happened was that some +fifteen minutes later the manager left the shed, and with the same +show of secrecy returned to his house, disappearing into the side +door. + +So intrigued was Merriman by the whole business that he determined +to repeat his visit the following night also. He did so, and once +again witnessed Mr. Coburn's stealthy walk to the shed at two a.m., +and his equally stealthy return at two-fifteen. + +Rack his brains as he would over the problem of these nocturnal +visits, Merriman could think of no explanation. What for three +consecutive nights could bring the manager down to the sawmill? He +could not imagine, but he was clear it was not the pit-prop industry. + +If the Girondin had been in he would have once more suspected +smuggling, but she was then at Ferriby. No, it certainly did not +work in with smuggling. Still less did it suggest false note +printing, unless - Merriman's heart beat more quickly as a new idea +entered his mind. Suppose the notes were printed there, at the mill! +Suppose there was a cellar under the engine house, and suppose the +work was done at night? It was true they had not seen signs of a +cellar, but if this surmise was correct it was not likely they would. + +At first sight this theory seemed a real advance, but a little +further thought showed it had serious objections. Firstly, it did +not explain Coburn's nightly visits. If the manager had spent some +hours in the works it might have indicated the working of a press, +but what in that way could be done in fifteen minutes? Further, +and this seemed to put the idea quite out of court, if the notes +were being produced at the clearing, why the changing of the lorry +numbers? That would then be a part of the business quite unconnected +with the illicit traffic. After much thought, Merriman had to admit +to himself that here was one more of the series of insoluble puzzles +with which they found themselves faced. + +The next night was Friday, and in accordance with the arrangement +made with Mr. Coburn, Merriman once again went out to the clearing, +presenting himself at the works door at two in the morning. Mr. +Coburn at once opened to his knock, and after locking the door, led +the way to his office. There he wasted no time in preliminaries. + +"I've thought this over, Merriman," he said, and his manner was +very different from that of the previous interview, "and I'm bound +to say that I've realized that, though interested, your action +towards me has been correct not to say generous. Now I've made up +my mind what to do, and I trust you will see your way to fall in +with my ideas. There is a meeting of the syndicate on Thursday +week. I should have been present in any case, and I have decided +that, whatever may be the result, I will tell them I am going to +break with them. I will give ill-health as my reason for this +step, and fortunately or unfortunately I can do this with truth, as +my heart is seriously diseased. I can easily provide the necessary +doctor's certificates. If they accept my resignation, well and +good - I will emigrate to my brother in South America, and you and +Madeleine can be married. If they decline, well" - Mr. Coburn +shrugged his shoulders - "your embarrassment will be otherwise +removed." + +He paused. Merriman would have spoken, but Mr. Coburn held up his +hand for silence and went on: + +"I confess I have been terribly upset for the last three days to +discover my wisest course, and even now I am far from certain that +my decision is best. I do not want to go back on my former friends, +and on account of Madeleine I cannot go back on you. Therefore, I +cannot warn the others of their danger, but on the other hand I +won't give your life into their hands. For if they knew what I know +now, you and Hilliard would be dead men inside twenty-four hours." + +Mr. Coburn spoke simply and with a certain dignity, and Merriman +found himself disposed not only to believe what he had heard, but +even to understand and sympathize with the man in the embarrassing +circumstances in which he found himself. That his difficulties +were of his own making there could be but little doubt, but how +far he had put himself in the power of his associates through +deliberate evil-doing, and how far through mistakes or weakness, +there was of course no way of learning. + +At the end of an hour's discussion, Mr. Coburn had agreed at all +costs to sever his connection with the syndicate, to emigrate to +his brother in Chile, and to do his utmost to induce his daughter +to remain in England to marry Merriman. On his side, Merriman +undertook to hold back the lodging of information at Scotland Yard +for one more week, to enable the other's arrangements to be carried +out. + +There being nothing to keep him in Bordeaux, Merriman left for +London that day, and the next evening he was closeted with Hilliard +in the latter's rooms, discussing the affair. Hilliard at first +was most unwilling to postpone their visit to the Yard but he +agreed on Merriman's explaining that he had pledged himself to the +delay. + +So the days, for Merriman heavily weighted with anxiety and suspense, +began slowly to drag by. His fate and the fate of the girl he loved +hung in the balance, and not the least irksome feature of his +position was his own utter impotence. There was nothing that he +could do - no action which would take him out of himself and ease +the tension of his thoughts. As day succeeded day and the silence +remained unbroken, he became more and more upset. At the end of a +week he was almost beside himself with worry and chagrin, so much so +that he gave up attending his office altogether, and was only +restrained from rushing back to Bordeaux by the knowledge that to +force himself once more on Madeleine might be to destroy, once and +for ever, any hopes he might otherwise have had. + +It was now four days since the Thursday on which Mr. Coburn had +stated that the meeting of the syndicate was to have been held, and +only three days to the date on which the friends had agreed to tell +their story at Scotland Yard. What if he received no news during +those three days? Would Hilliard agree to a further postponement? +He feared not, and he was racked with anxiety as to whether he +should cross that day to France and seek another interview with Mr. +Coburn. + +But, even as he sat with the morning paper in his hand, news was +nearer than he imagined. Listlessly he turned over the sheets, +glancing with but scant attention to the headlines, automatically +running his eyes over the paragraphs. And when he came to one +headed "Mystery of a Taxi-cab," he absent-mindedly began to read +it also. + +But he had not gone very far when his manner changed. Starting to +his feet, he stared at the column with horror-stricken eyes, while +his face grew pallid and his pipe dropped to the floor from his open +mouth. With the newspaper still tightly grasped in his hand, he ran +three steps at a time down the stairs of his flat, and calling a +taxi, was driven to Scotland Yard. + + + + +PART TWO + +THE PROFESSIONALS + + + +CHAPTER 12 + +MURDER! + + +Almost exactly fifteen hours before Merriman's call at Scotland Yard, +to wit, about eight o'clock on the previous evening, Inspector Willis +of the Criminal Investigation Department was smoking in the +sitting-room of his tiny house in Brixton. George Willis was a tall, +somewhat burly man of five-and-forty, with heavy, clean-shaven, +expressionless features which would have made his face almost stupid, +had it not been redeemed by a pair of the keenest of blue eyes. He +was what is commonly known as a safe man, not exactly brilliant, but +plodding and tenacious to an extraordinary degree. His forte was +slight clues, and he possessed that infinite capacity for taking +pains which made his following up of them approximate to genius. In +short, though a trifle slow, he was already looked on as one of the +most efficient and reliable inspectors of the Yard. + +He had had a heavy day, and it was with a sigh of relief that he +picked up the evening paper and stretched himself luxuriously in +his easy-chair. But he was not destined to enjoy a long rest. +Hardly had he settled himself to his satisfaction when the telephone +bell rang. He was wanted back at the Yard immediately. + +He swore under his breath, then, calling the news to his wife, he +slipped on his waterproof and left the house. The long spell of +fine weather had at last broken, and the evening was unpleasant, +indeed unusually inclement for mid-September. All day the wind +had been gusty and boisterous, and now a fine drizzle of rain had +set in, which was driven in sheets against the grimy buildings and +whirled in eddies round the street corners. Willis walked quickly +along the shining pavements, and in a few minutes reached his +destination. His chief was waiting for him. + +"Ah, Willis," the great man greeted him, "I'm glad you weren't out. +A case has been reported which I want you to take over; a suspected +murder; man found dead in a taxi at King's Cross." + +"Yes, sir," Willis answered unemotionally. "Any details forward?" + +"None, except that the man is dead and that they're holding the +taxi at the station. I have asked Dr. Horton to come round, and +you had both better get over there as quickly as possible." + +"Yes, sir," Willis replied again, and quickly left the room. + +His preparations were simple. He had only to arrange for a couple +of plain clothes men and a photographer with a flashlight apparatus +to accompany him, and to bring from his room a handbag containing +his notebook and a few other necessary articles. He met the police +doctor in the corridor and, the others being already in waiting, +the five men immediately left the great building and took a car to +the station. + +"What's the case, inspector, do you know?" Dr. Horton inquired as +they slipped deftly through the traffic. + +"The Chief said suspected murder; man found dead in a taxi at King's +Cross. He had no details." + +"How was it done?" + +"Don't know, sir. Chief didn't say." + +After a few brief observations on the inclemency of the weather, +conversation waned between the two men, and they followed the +example of their companions, and sat watching with a depressed air +the rain-swept streets and the hurrying foot passengers on the wet +pavements. All five were annoyed at being called out, as all were +tired and had been looking forward to an evening of relaxation at +their homes. + +They made a quick run, reaching the station in a very few minutes. +There a constable identified the inspector. + +"They've taken the taxi round to the carrier's yard at the west +side of the station, sir," he said to Willis. "If you'll follow +me, I'll show you the way." + +The officer led them to an enclosed and partially roofed area at +the back of the parcels office, where the vans from the shops +unloaded their traffic. In a corner under the roof and surrounded +by a little knot of men stood a taxi-cab. As Willis and his +companions approached, a sergeant of police separated himself from +the others and came forward. + +"We have touched nothing, sir," he announced. "When we found the +man was dead we didn't even move the body." + +Willis nodded. + +"Quite right, sergeant. It's murder, I suppose?" + +"Looks like it, sir. The man was shot." + +"Shot? Anything known of the murderer?" + +"Not much, I'm afraid, sir. He got clear away in Tottenham Court +Road, as far as I can understand it. But you'll hear what the +driver has to say." + +Again the Inspector nodded, as he stepped up to the vehicle. + +"Here's Dr. Newman," the sergeant continued, indicating an +exceedingly dapper and well-groomed little man with medico written +all over him. "He was the nearest medical man we could get." + +Willis turned courteously to the other. + +"An unpleasant evening to be called out, doctor," he remarked. +"The man's dead, I understand? Was he dead when you arrived?" + +"Yes, but only a very little time. The body was quite warm." + +"And the cause of death?" + +"Seeing that I could do nothing, I did not move the body until you +Scotland Yard gentlemen had seen it, and therefore I cannot say +professionally. But there is a small hole in the side of the coat +over the heart." The doctor spoke with a slightly consequential air. + +"A bullet wound?" + +"A bullet wound unquestionably." + +Inspector Willis picked up an acetylene bicycle lamp which one of +the men had procured and directed its beam into the cab. + +The corpse lay in the back corner seat on the driver's side, the +head lolling back sideways against the cushions and crushing into +a shapeless mass the gray Homburg hat. The mouth and eyes were +open and the features twisted as if from sudden pain. The face +was long and oval, the hair and eyes dark, and there was a tiny +black mustache with waxed ends. A khaki colored waterproof, open +in front, revealed a gray tweed suit, across the waistcoat of +which shone a gold watch chain. Tan shoes covered the feet. On +the left side of the body just over the heart was a little round +hole in the waterproof coat Willis stooped and smelled the cloth. + +"No blackening and no smell of burned powder," he thought. "He +must have been shot from outside the cab." But he found it hard +to understand how such a shot could have been fired from the +populous streets of London. The hole also seemed too far round +towards the back of the body to suggest that the bullet had come +in through the open window. The point was puzzling, but Willis +pulled himself up sharply with the reminder that he must not begin +theorizing until he had learned all the facts. + +Having gazed at the gruesome sight until he had impressed its every +detail on his memory, he turned to his assistant. "Get ahead with +your flashlight, Kirby," he ordered. "Take views from all the +angles you can. The constable will give you a hand. Meantime, +sergeant, give me an idea of the case. What does the driver say?" + +"He's here, sir," the officer returned, pointing to a small, slight +individual in a leather coat and cap, with a sallow, frightened +face and pathetic, dog-like eyes which fixed themselves questioningly +on Willis's face as the sergeant led their owner forward. + +"You might tell me what you know, driver." + +The man shifted nervously from one foot to the other. + +"It was this way, sir," he began. He spoke earnestly, and to Willis, +who was accustomed to sizing up rapidly those with whom he dealt, +he seemed a sincere and honest man. "I was driving down Piccadilly +from Hyde Park Corner looking out for a fare, and when I gets just +by the end of Bond Street two men hails me. One was this here man +what's dead, the other was a big, tall gent. I pulls in to the curb, +and they gets in, and the tall gent he says 'King's Cross.' I starts +off by Piccadilly Circus and Shaftesbury Avenue, but when I gets into +Tottenham Court Road about the corner of Great Russell Street, one +of them says through the tube, 'Let me down here at the corner of +Great Russell Street,' he sez. I pulls over to the curb, and the +tall gent he gets out and stands on the curb and speaks in to the +other one. Then I shall follow by the three o'clock tomorrow,' he +sez, and he shuts the door and gives me a bob and sez, 'That's for +yourself,' he sez, 'and my friend will square up at the station,' he +sez. I came on here, and when this here man opens the door," he +indicated a porter standing by, "why, the man's dead. And that's +all I knows about it." + +The statement was made directly and convincingly, and Willis frowned +as he thought that such apparently simple cases proved frequently +to be the most baffling in the end. In his slow, careful way he +went over in his mind what he had heard, and then began to try for +further details. + +"At what time did you pick up the men?" he inquired. + +"About half past seven, or maybe twenty to eight" + +"Did you see where they were coming from?" + +"No, sir. They were standing on the curb, and the tall one he holds +up his hand for me to pull over." + +"Would you know the tall man again?" + +The driver shook his head. + +"I don't know as I should, sir. You see, it was raining, and he had +his collar up round his neck and his hat pulled down over his eyes, +so as I couldn't right see his face." + +"Describe him as best you can." + +"He was a tall man, longer than what you are, and broad too. A big +man, I should call him." + +"How was he dressed?" + +"He had a waterproof, khaki color - about the color of your own - +with the collar up round his neck." + +"His hat?" + +"His hat was a soft felt, dark, either brown or green, I couldn't +rightly say, with the brim turned down in front." + +"And his face? Man alive, you must have seen his face when he gave +you the shilling." + +The driver stared helplessly. Then he answered: + +"I couldn't be sure about his face, not with the way he had his +collar up and his hat pulled down. It was raining and blowing +something crool." + +"Did the other man reply when the tall one spoke into the cab?" + +"Didn't hear no reply at all, sir." + +Inspector Willis thought for a moment and then started on another +tack. + +"Did you hear a shot?" he asked sharply. + +"I heard it, sir, right enough, but I didn't think it was a shot +at the time, and I didn't think it was in my cab. It was just when +we were passing the Apollo Theater, and there was a big block of +cars setting people down, and I thought it was a burst tire. +'There's somebody's tire gone to glory,' I sez to myself, but I +give it no more thought, for it takes you to be awake to drive up +Shaftesbury Avenue when the theaters are starting." + +"You said you didn't think the shot was in your cab; why do you +think so now?" + +"It was the only sound like a shot, sir, and if the man has been +shot, it would have been then." + +Willis nodded shortly. There was something puzzling here. If the +shot had been fired by the other occupant of the cab, as the man's +evidence seemed to indicate, there would certainly have been powder +blackening on the coat. If not, and if the bullet had entered from +without, the other passenger would surely have stopped the car and +called a policeman. Presently he saw that some corroborative +evidence might exist. If the bullet came from without the left-hand +window must have been down, as there was no hole in the glass. In +this case the wind, which was blowing from the north-west, would +infallibly have driven in the rain, and drops would still show on +the cushions. He must look for them without delay. + +He paused to ask the driver one more question, whether he could +identify the voice which told him through the speaking tube to stop +with that of the man who had given him the shilling. The man +answering affirmatively, Willis turned to one of the plain clothes +men. + +"You have heard this driver's statement, Jones," he said. "You +might get away at once and see the men who were on point duty both +at the corner of Great Russell Street where the tall man got out, +and in Piccadilly, where both got in. Try the hotels thereabouts, +the Albemarle and any others you can think of. If you can get any +information follow it up and keep me advised at the Yard of your +movements." + +The man hurried away and Willis moved over once more to the taxi. +The assistant had by this time finished his flashlight photographs, +and the inspector, picking up the bicycle lamp, looked again into +the interior. A moment's examination showed him there were no +raindrops on the cushions, but his search nevertheless was not +unproductive. Looking more carefully this time than previously, +he noticed on the floor of the cab a dark object almost hidden +beneath the seat. He drew it out. It was a piece of thick black +cloth about a yard square. + +Considerably mystified, he held it up by two corners, and then his +puzzle became solved. In the cloth were two small holes, and round +one of them the fabric was charred and bore the characteristic smell +of burned powder. It was clear what had been done. With the object +doubtless of hiding the flash as well as of muffling the report, the +murderer had covered his weapon with a double thickness of heavy +cloth. No doubt it had admirably achieved its purpose, and Willis +seized it eagerly in the hope that it might furnish him with a clue +as to its owner. + +He folded it and set it aside for further examination, turning back +to the body. Under his direction it was lifted out, placed on an +ambulance stretcher provided by the railwaymen, and taken to a +disused office close by. There the clothes were removed and, while +the doctors busied themselves with the remains, Willis went through +the pockets and arranged their contents on one of the desks. + +The clothes themselves revealed but little information. The +waterproof and shoes, it is true, bore the makers' labels, but +both these articles were the ready-made products of large firms, +and inquiry at their premises would be unlikely to lead to any +result. None of the garments bore any name or identifiable mark. + +Willis then occupied himself the contents of the pockets. Besides +the gold watch and chain, bunch of keys, knife, cigarette case, +loose coins and other small objects which a man such as the deceased +might reasonably be expected to carry, there were two to which the +inspector turned with some hope of help. + +The first was a folded sheet of paper which proved to be a +receipted hotel bill. It showed that a Mr. Coburn and another had +stayed in the Peveril Hotel in Russell Square during the previous +four days. When Willis saw it he gave a grunt of satisfaction. +It would doubtless offer a ready means to learn the identity of the +deceased, as well possibly as of the other, in whom Willis was +already even more interested. Moreover, so good a clue must be +worked without delay. He called over the second plain clothes man. + +"Take this bill to the Peveril, Matthews," he ordered. "Find out +if the dead man is this Coburn, and if possible get on the track of +his companion. If I don't get anything better here I shall follow +you round, but keep the Yard advised of your movements in any case." + +Before the man left Willis examined the second object. It was a +pocket-book, but it proved rather disappointing. It contained two +five pound Bank of England notes, nine one pound and three ten +shilling Treasury notes, the return half of a third-class railway +ticket from Hull to King's Cross, a Great Northern cloakroom ticket, +a few visiting cards inscribed "Mr. Francis Coburn," and lastly, +the photograph by Cramer of Regent Sweet of a pretty girl of about +twenty. + +Willis mentally noted the three possible clues these articles +seemed to suggest; inquiries in Hull, the discovery of the girl +through Messrs. Cramer, and third and most important, luggage or a +parcel in some Great Northern cloakroom, which on recovery might +afford him help. The presence of the money also seemed important, +as this showed that the motive for the murder had not been robbery. + +Having made a parcel of the clothes for transport to the Yard, +reduced to writing the statements of the driver and of the porter +who had made the discovery, and arranged with the doctors as to +the disposal of the body, Willis closed and locked the taxi, and +sent it in charge of a constable to Scotland Yard. Then with the +cloakroom ticket he went round to see if he could find the office +which had issued it. + +The rooms were all shut for the night, but an official from the +stationmaster's office went round with him, and after a brief +search they found the article for which the ticket was a voucher. +It was a small suitcase, locked, and Willis brought it away with +him, intending to open it at his leisure. His work at the station +being by this time complete, he returned to the Yard, carrying the +suitcase. There, though it was growing late, he forced the lock, +and sat down to examine the contents. But from them he received no +help. The bag contained just the articles which a man in +middle-class circumstances would naturally carry on a week or a +fortnight's trip - a suit of clothes, clean linen, toilet appliances, +and such like. Nowhere could Willis find anything of interest. + +Telephone messages, meanwhile, had come in from the two plain +clothes men. Jones reported that he had interviewed all the +constables who had been on point duty at the places in question, +but without result. Nor could any of the staffs of the neighboring +hotels or restaurants assist him. + +The call from the Peveril conveyed slightly more information. The +manageress, so Matthews said, had been most courteous and had sent +for several members of her staff in the hope that some of them +might be able to answer his questions. But the sum total of the +knowledge he had gained was not great. In the first place, it was +evident that the deceased was Mr. Coburn himself. It appeared that +he was accompanied by a Miss Coburn, whom the manageress believed +to be his daughter. He had been heard addressing her as Madeleine. +The two had arrived in time for dinner five days previously, +registering "F. Coburn and Miss Coburn," and had left about eleven +on the morning of the murder. On each of the four days of their +stay they had been out a good deal, but they had left and returned +at different hours, and, therefore, appeared not to have spent +their time together. They seemed, however, on very affectionate +terms. No address had been left to which letters might be +forwarded, and it was not known where the two visitors had intended +to go when they left. Neither the manageress nor any of the staff +had seen anyone resembling the tall man. + +Inspector Willis was considerably disappointed by the news. He had +hoped that Mr. Coburn's fellow-guest would have been the murderer, +and that he would have left some trace from which his identity could +have been ascertained. However, the daughter's information would +no doubt be valuable, and his next care must be to find her and +learn her story. + +She might of course save him the trouble by herself coming forward. +She would be almost certain to see an account of the murder in the +papers, and even if not, her father's disappearance would inevitably +lead her to communicate with the police. + +But Willis could not depend on this. She might, for example, have +left the previous day on a voyage, and a considerable time might +elapse before she learned of the tragedy. No; he would have to +trace her as if she herself were the assassin. + +He looked at his watch and was surprised to learn that it was after +one o'clock. Nothing more could be done that night, and with a sigh +of relief he turned his steps homewards. + +Next morning he was back at the Yard by eight o'clock. His first +care was to re-examine the taxi by daylight for some mark or article +left by its recent occupants. He was extraordinarily thorough and +painstaking, scrutinizing every inch of the floor and cushions, and +trying the door handles and window straps for finger marks, but +without success. He went over once again the clothes the dead man +was wearing as well as those in the suitcase, took prints from the +dead man's fingers, and began to get things in order for the inquest. +Next, he saw Dr. Horton, and learned that Mr. Coburn had been killed +by a bullet from an exceedingly small automatic pistol, one evidently +selected to make the minimum of noise and flash, and from which a +long carry was not required. + +When the details were complete he thought it would not be too early +to call at the Peveril and begin the search for Miss Coburn. He +therefore sent for a taxi, and a few minutes later was seated in the +office of the manageress. She repeated what Matthews had already +told him, and he personally interviewed the various servants with +whom the Coburns had come in contact. He also searched the rooms +they had occupied, examined with a mirror the blotting paper on a +table at which the young lady had been seen to write, and +interrogated an elderly lady visitor with whom she had made +acquaintance. + +But he learned nothing. The girl had vanished completely, and he +could see no way in which he might be able to trace her. + +He sat down in the lounge and gave himself up to thought. And then +suddenly an idea flashed into his mind. He started, sat for a +moment rigid, then gave a little gasp. + +"Lord!" he muttered. "But I'm a blamed idiot. How in Hades did +I miss that?" + +He sprang to his feet and hurried out of the lounge. + + + +CHAPTER 13 + +A PROMISING CLUE + + +The consideration which had thus suddenly occurred to Inspector +Willis was the extraordinary importance of the fact that the tall +traveller had spoken through the tube to the driver. He marveled +how he could have overlooked its significance. To speak through a +taxi tube one must hold up the mouthpiece, and that mouthpiece is +usually made of vulcanite or some similar substance. What better +surface, Willis thought delightedly but anxiously, could be found +for recording finger-prints? If only the tall man had made the +blunder of omitting to wear gloves, he would have left evidence +which might hang him! And he, Willis, like the cursed imbecile +that he was, had missed the point! Goodness only knew if he was +not already too late. If so, he thought grimly, it was all u.p. +with his career at the Yard. + +He ran to the telephone. A call to the Yard advised him that the +taxi driver, on being informed he was no longer required, had left +with his vehicle. He rapidly rang up the man's employers, asking +them to stop the cab directly they came in touch with it, then +hurrying out of the hotel, he hailed a taxi and drove to the rank +on which the man was stationed. + +His luck was in. There were seven vehicles on the stand, and his +man, having but recently arrived, had only worked up to the middle +of the queue. The sweat was standing in large drops on Inspector +Willis's brow as he eagerly asked had the tube been touched since +leaving Scotland Yard, and his relief when he found he was still in +time was overwhelming. Rather unsteadily he entered the vehicle +and ordered the driver to return to the Yard. + +On arrival he was not long in making his test. Sending for his +finger-print apparatus, he carefully powdered the vulcanite +mouthpiece, and he could scarcely suppress a cry of satisfaction +when he saw shaping themselves before his eyes three of the clearest +prints he had ever had the good fortune to come across. On one +side of the mouthpiece was the mark of a right thumb, and on the +other those of a first and second finger. + +"Lord!" he muttered to himself, "that was a near thing. If I had +missed it, I could have left the Yard for good and all. It's the +first thing the Chief would have asked about" + +His delight was unbounded. Here was as perfect and definite +evidence as he could have wished for. If he could find the man +whose fingers fitted the marks, that would be the end of his case. + +He left the courtyard intending to return to the Peveril and resume +the tracing of Miss Coburn, but before he reached the door of the +great building he was stopped. A gentleman had called to see him +on urgent business connected with the case. + +It was Merriman - Merriman almost incoherent with excitement and +distress. He still carried the newspaper in his hand, which had +so much upset him. Willis pulled forward a chair, invited the other +to be seated, and took the paper. The paragraph was quite short, +and read: + + "MYSTERY OF A TAXI-CAB + +"A tragedy which recalls the well-known detective novel The Mystery +of the Hansom Cab occurred last evening in one of the most populous +thoroughfares in London. It appears that about eight o'clock two +men engaged a taxi in Piccadilly to take them to King's Cross. Near +the Oxford Street end of Tottenham Court Road the driver was ordered +to stop. One of the men alighted, bade good-night to his companion, +and told the driver to proceed to King's Cross, where his friend +would settle up. On reaching the station there was no sign of the +friend, and a search revealed him lying dead in the taxi with a +bullet wound in his heart. From papers found on the body the +deceased is believed to be a Mr. Francis Coburn, but his residence +has not yet been ascertained." + +Inspector Willis laid down the paper and turned to his visitor. + +"You are interested in the case, sir?" he inquired. + +"I knew him, I think," Merriman stammered. "At least I know +someone of the name. I - " + +Willis glanced keenly at the newcomer. Here was a man who must, +judging by his agitation, have been pretty closely connected with +Francis Coburn. Suspicious of everyone, the detective recognized +that there might be more here than met the eye. He drew out his +notebook. + +"I am glad you called, sir," he said pleasantly. "We shall be very +pleased to get any information you can give us. What was your +friend like?" + +His quiet, conversational manner calmed the other. + +"Rather tall," he answered anxiously, "with a long pale face, and +small, black, pointed mustache." + +"I'm afraid, sir, that's the man. I think if you don't mind you +had better see if you can identify him." + +"I want to," Merriman cried, leaping to his feet "I must know at +once." + +Willis rose also. + +"Then come this way." + +They drove quickly across town. A glance was sufficient to tell +Merriman that the body was indeed that of his former acquaintance. +His agitation became painful. + +"You're right!" he cried. "It is he! And it's my fault. Oh, if +I had only done what she said! If I had only kept out of it!" + +He wrung his hands in his anguish. + +Willis was much interested. Though this man could not be personally +guilty - he was not tall enough, for one thing - he must surely know +enough about the affair to put the inspector on the right track. The +latter began eagerly to await his story. + +Merriman for his part was anxious for nothing so much as to tell it. +He was sick to death of plots and investigations and machinations, +and while driving to the Yard he had made up his mind that if the +dead man were indeed Madeleine's father, he would tell the whole +story of his and Hilliard's investigations into the doings of the +syndicate. When, therefore, they were back in the inspector's room, +he made a determined effort to pull himself together and speak +calmly. + +"Yes," he said, "I know him. He lived near Bordeaux with his +daughter. She will be absolutely alone. You will understand that I +must go out to her by the first train, but until then I am at your +service. + +"You are a relation perhaps?" + +"No, only an acquaintance, but - I'm going to tell you the whole +story, and I may as well say, once for all, that it is my earnest +hope some day to marry Miss Coburn." + +Willis bowed and inquired, "Is Miss Coburn's name Madeleine?" + +"Yes," Merriman answered, surprise and eagerness growing in his face. + +"Then," Willis went on, "you will be pleased to learn that she is not +in France - at least, I think not. She left the Peveril Hotel in +Russell Square about eleven o'clock yesterday morning." + +Merriman sprang to his feet. + +"In London?" he queried excitedly. "Where? What address?" + +"We don't know yet, but we shall soon find her. Now, sir, you can't +do anything for the moment, and I am anxious to hear your story. +Take your own time, and the more details you can give me the better." + +Merriman controlled himself with an effort. + +"Well," he said slowly, sitting down again, "I have something to +tell you, inspector. My friend Hilliard - Claud Hilliard of the +Customs Department - and I have made a discovery. We have +accidentally come on what we believe is a criminal conspiracy, we +don't know for what purpose, except that it is something big and +fraudulent. We were coming to the Yard in any case to tell what +we had learned, but this murder has precipitated things. We can +no longer delay giving our information. The only thing is that I +should have liked Hilliard to be here to tell it instead of me, for +our discovery is really due to him." + +"I can see Mr. Hilliard afterwards. Meantime tell me the story +yourself." + +Merriman thereupon related his and Hilliard's adventures and +experiences from his own first accidental visit to the clearing +when he noticed the changing of the lorry number, right up to his +last meeting with Mr. Coburn, when the latter expressed his +intention of breaking away from the gang. He hid nothing, +explaining without hesitation his reasons for urging the delay in +informing the authorities, even though he quite realized his action +made him to some extent an accomplice in the conspiracy. + +Willis was much more impressed by the story than he would have +admitted. Though it sounded wild and unlikely, then was a ring of +truth in Merriman's manner which went far to convince the other of +its accuracy. He did not believe, either that anyone could have +invented such a story. It's very improbability was an argument for +its truth. + +And if it were true, what a vista it opened up to himself! The +solution of the murder problem would be gratifying enough but it +was a mere nothing compared to the other. If he could search out +and bring to naught such a conspiracy as Merriman's story indicated, +he would be a made man. It would be the crowning point of his +career, and would bring him measurably nearer to that cottage and +garden in the country to which for years past he had been looking +forward. Therefore no care and trouble would be too great to spend +on the matter. + +Putting away thoughts of self, therefore, and deliberately +concentrating on the matter in hand, he set himself to consider in +detail what his visitor had told him and get the story clear in his +mind. Then slowly and painstakingly he began to ask questions. + +"I take it, Mr. Merriman, that your idea is that Mr. Coburn was +murdered by a member of the syndicate?" + +"Yes, and I think he foresaw his fate. I think when he told them +he was going to break with them they feared he might betray them, +and wanted to be on the safe side." + +"Any of them a tall, stoutly built man?" + +"Captain Beamish is tall and strongly built, but I should not say +he was stout." + +"Describe him." + +"He stooped and was a little round-shouldered, but even then he was +tall. If he had held himself up he would have been a big man. He +had a heavy face with a big jaw, thin lips, and a vindictive +expression." + +Willis, though not given to jumping to conclusions, felt suddenly +thrilled, and he made up his mind that an early development in the +case would be the taking of the impressions of Captain Beamish's +right thumb and forefinger. + +He asked several more questions and, going over the story again, +took copious notes. Then for some time he sat in silence +considering what he had heard. + +At first sight he was inclined to agree with Merriman, that the +deceased had met his death at the hands of a member of the +syndicate, and if so, it was not unlikely that all or most of the +members were party to it. From the mere possibility of this it +followed that the most urgent thing for the moment was to prevent +the syndicate suspecting his knowledge. He turned again to his +visitor. + +"I suppose you realize, Mr. Merriman, that if all these details +you have given me are correct, you yourself are in a position of +some danger?" + +"I know it, but I am not afraid. It is the possible danger to Miss +Coburn that has upset me so much." + +"I understand, sir," the inspector returned sympathetically, "but +it follows that for both your sakes you must act very cautiously, +so as to disarm any suspicions these people may have of you." + +"I am quite in your hands, inspector." + +"Good. Then let us consider your course of action. Now, first of +all about the inquest. It will be held this evening at five o'clock. +You will have to give evidence, and we shall have to settle very +carefully what that evidence will be. No breath of suspicion against +the syndicate must leak out." + +Merriman nodded. + +"You must identify the deceased, and, if asked, you must tell the +story of your two visits to the clearing. You must speak without +the slightest hesitation. But you must of course make no mention +of the changing of the lorry numbers or of your suspicions, nor will +you mention your visit to Hull. You will explain that you went back +to the clearing on the second occasion because it was so little out +of your way and because you were anxious to meet the Coburns again, +while your friend wanted to see the forests of Les Landes." + +Merriman again nodded. + +"Then both you and your friend must avoid Scotland Yard. It is +quite natural that you should rush off here as you did, but it would +not be natural for you to return. And there is no reason why Mr. +Hilliard should come at all. If I want to see either of you I shall +ring up and arrange a place of meeting. And just two other things. +The first is that I need hardly warn you to be as circumspect in +your conversation as in your evidence. Keep in mind that each +stranger that you may meet may be Morton or some other member of the +gang. The second is that I should like to keep in touch with you +for the remainder of the day in case any question might crop up +before the inquest. Where will you be?" + +"I shall stay in my club, Rover's, in Cranbourne Street. You can +ring me up." + +"Good," Willis answered, rising to his feet. "Then let me say again +how pleased I am to have met you and heard your story. Five o'clock, +then, if you don't hear to the contrary." + +When Merriman had taken his leave the inspector sat on at his desk, +lost in thought. This case bade fair to be the biggest he had ever +handled, and he was anxious to lay his plans so as to employ his +time to the best advantage. Two clearly defined lines of inquiry +had already opened out, and he was not clear which to follow. In +the first place, there was the obvious routine investigation +suggested directly by the murder. That comprised the finding of +Miss Coburn, the learning of Mr. Coburn's life history, the tracing +of his movements during the last four or five days, the finding of +the purchaser of the black cloth, and the following up of clues +discovered during these inquiries. The second line was that +connected with the activities of the syndicate, and Willis was +inclined to believe that a complete understanding of these would +automatically solve the problem of the murder. He was wondering +whether he should not start an assistant on the routine business of +the tragedy, while himself concentrating on the pit-prop business, +when his cogitations were brought to an end by a messenger. A lady +had called in connection with the case. + +"Miss Madeleine Coburn," thought Willis, as he gave orders for her +to be shown to his room, and when she entered he instantly recognized +the original of the photograph. + +Madeleine's face was dead white and there was a strained look of +horror in her eyes, but she was perfectly calm and sell-possessed. + +"Miss Coburn?" Willis said, as he rose and bowed. "I am afraid I +can guess why you have called. You saw the account in the paper?" + +"Yes." She hesitated. "Is it - my father?" + +Willis told her as gently as he could. She sat quite still for a +few moments, while he busied himself with some papers, then she +asked to see the body. When they had returned to Willis's room he +invited her to sit down again. + +"I very deeply regret, Miss Coburn," he said, "to have to trouble +you at this time with questions, but I fear you will have to give +evidence at the inquest this afternoon, and it will be easier for +yourself to make a statement now, so that only what is absolutely +necessary need be asked you then." + +Madeleine seemed stunned by the tragedy, and she spoke as if in a +dream. + +"I am ready to do what is necessary." + +He thanked her, and began by inquiring about her father's history. +Mr. Coburn, it appeared, had had a public school and college +training, but, his father dying when he was just twenty, and +leaving the family in somewhat poor circumstances, he had gone +into business as a clerk in the Hopwood Manufacturing Company, a +large engineering works in the Midlands. In this, he had risen +until he held the important position of cashier, and he and his +wife and daughter had lived in happiness and comfort during the +latter's girlhood. But some six years previous to the tragedy +which had just taken place a change had come over the household. +In the first place, Mrs. Coburn had developed a painful illness +and had dragged out a miserable existence for the three years +before her death. At the same time, whether from the expense of +the illness or from other causes Miss Coburn did not know, financial +embarrassment seemed to descend on her father. One by one their +small luxuries were cut off, then their house had to be given up, +and they had moved to rooms in a rather poor locality of the town. +Their crowning misfortune followed rapidly. Mr. Coburn gave up +his position at the works, and for a time actual want stared them +in the face. Then this Pit-Prop Syndicate had been formed, and Mr. +Coburn had gone into it as the manager of the loading station. Miss +Coburn did not know the reason of his leaving the engineering works, +but she suspected there had been friction, as his disposition for +a time had changed, and he had lost his bright manner and vivacity. +He had, however, to a large extent recovered while in France. She +was not aware, either, of the terms on which he had entered the +syndicate, but she imagined he shared in the profits instead of +receiving a salary. + +These facts, which Willis obtained by astute questioning, seemed to +him not a little suggestive. From what Mr. Coburn had himself told +Merriman, it looked as if there had been some secret in his life +which had placed him in the power of the syndicate, and the inspector +wondered whether this might not be connected with his leaving the +engineering works. At all events inquiries there seemed to suggest +a new line of attack, should such become necessary. + +Willis then turned to the events of the past few days. It appeared +that about a fortnight earlier, Mr. Coburn announced that he was +crossing to London for the annual meeting of the syndicate, and, as +he did not wish his daughter to be alone at the clearing, it was +arranged that she should accompany him. They travelled by the +Girondin to Hull, and coming on to London, put up at the Peveril. +Mr. Coburn had been occupied off and on during the four days they +had remained there, but the evenings they had spent together in +amusements. On the night of the murder, Mr. Coburn was to have left +for Hull to return to France by the Girondin, his daughter going by +an earlier train to Eastbourne, where she was to have spent ten days +with an aunt. Except for what Mr. Coburn had said about the meeting +of the syndicate, Madeleine did not know anything of his business in +town, nor had she seen any member of the syndicate after leaving the +ship. + +Having taken notes of her statements, Willis spoke of the inquest +and repeated the instructions he had given Merriman as to the +evidence. Then he told her of the young man's visit, and referring +to his anxiety on her behalf, asked if he might acquaint him with +her whereabouts. She thankfully acquiesced, and Willis, who was +anxious that her mind should be kept occupied until the inquest, +pushed his good offices to the extent of arranging a meeting between +the two. + +The inquest elicited no further information. Formal evidence of +identification was given, the doctors deposed that death was due +to a bullet from an exceedingly small bore automatic pistol, the +cab driver and porter told their stories, and the jury returned the +obvious verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown. +The inspector's precautions were observed, and not a word was +uttered which could have given a hint to any member of the Pit-Prop +Syndicate that the bona fides of his organization was suspected. + +Two days later, when the funeral was over, Merriman took Miss +Coburn back to her aunt's at Eastbourne. No word of love passed his +lips, but the young girl seemed pleased to have his company, and +before parting from her he obtained permission to call on her again. +He met the aunt for a few moments, and was somewhat comforted to +find her a kind, motherly woman, who was evidently sincerely +attached to the now fatherless girl. He had told Madeleine of his +interview with her father, and she had not blamed him for his part +in the matter, saying that she had believed for some time that a +development of the kind was inevitable. + +So, for them, the days began to creep wearily past. Merriman paid +as frequent visits to Eastbourne as he dared, and little by little +he began to hope that he was making progress in his suit. But try +as he would, he could not bring the matter to a head. The girl had +evidently had a more severe shock than they had realized at first, +and she became listless and difficult to interest in passing events. +He saw there was nothing for it but to wait, and he set himself to +bide his time with the best patience he could muster. + + + +CHAPTER 14 + +A MYSTIFYING DISCOVERY + + +Inspector Willis was more than interested in his new case. The more +he thought over it, the more he realized its dramatic possibilities +and the almost world-wide public interest it was likely to arouse, +as well as the importance which his superiors would certainly attach +to it; in other words, the influence a successful handling of it +would have on his career. + +He had not been idle since the day of the inquest, now a week past. +To begin with he had seen Hilliard secretly, and learned at first +hand all that that young man could tell him. Next he had made sure +that the finger-prints found on the speaking tube were not those of +Mr. Coburn, and he remained keenly anxious to obtain impressions +from Captain Beamish's fingers to compare with the former. But +inquiries from the port officials at Hull, made by wire on the +evening of the inquest, showed that the Girondin would not be back +at Ferriby for eight days. There had been no object, therefore, in +his leaving London immediately, and instead he had busied himself +by trying to follow up the deceased's movements in the metropolis, +and learn with whom he had associated during his stay. In his +search for clues he had even taken the hint from Merriman's +newspaper and bought a copy of The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, but +though he saw that this clever story might easily have inspired +the crime, he could find from it no help towards its solution. + +He had also paid a flying visit to the manager of the Hopwood +Manufacturing Company in Sheffield, where Coburn had been employed. +>From him he had learned that Madeleine's surmise was correct, and +that there had been "friction" before her father left. In point +of fact a surprise audit had revealed discrepancies in the accounts. +Some money was missing, and what was suspiciously like an attempt +to falsify the books had taken place. But the thing could not be +proved. Mr. Coburn had paid up, but though his plea that he had +made a genuine clerical error had been accepted, his place had +been filled. The manager expressed the private opinion that there +was no doubt of his subordinate's guilt, saying also that it was +well known that during the previous months Coburn had been losing +money heavily through gambling. Where he had obtained the money +to meet the deficit the manager did not know, but he believed +someone must have come forward to assist him. + +This information interested Willis keenly, supporting, as it +seemed to do, his idea that Coburn was in the power of the syndicate +or one of its members. If, for example, one of these men, on the +lookout for helpers in his conspiracy, had learned of the cashier's +predicaments it was conceivable that he might have obtained his +hold by advancing the money needed to square the matter in return +for a signed confession of guilt. This was of course the merest +guesswork, but it at least indicated to Willis a fresh line of +inquiry in case his present investigation failed. + +And with the latter he was becoming exceedingly disappointed. With +the exception of the facts just mentioned, he had learned absolutely +nothing to help him. Mr. Coburn might as well have vanished into +thin air when he left the Peveril Hotel, for all the trace he had +left. Willis could learn neither where he went nor whom he met on +any one of the four days he had spent in London. He congratulated +himself, therefore, that on the following day the Girondin would be +back at Ferriby, and he would then be able to start work on the +finger-print clue. + +That evening he settled himself with his pipe to think over once +more the facts he had already learned. As time passed he found +himself approaching more and more to the conclusion reached by +Hilliard and Merriman several weeks before - that the secret of +the syndicate was the essential feature of the case. What were +these people doing? That was the question which at all costs +he must answer. + +His mind reverted to the two theories already in the field. At +first sight that of brandy smuggling seemed tenable enough, and +he turned his attention to the steps by which the two young men +had tried to test it. At the loading end their observations were +admittedly worthless, but at Ferriby they seemed to have made a +satisfactory investigation. Unless they had unknowingly fallen +asleep in the barrel, it was hard to see how they could have +failed to observe contraband being set ashore, had any been +unloaded. But he did not believe they had fallen asleep. People +were usually conscious of awakening. Besides there was the +testimony of Menzies, the pilot. It was hardly conceivable that +this man also should have been deceived. At the same time Willis +decided he must interview him, so as to form his own opinion of +the man's reliability. + +Another possibility occurred to him which none of the amateur +investigators appeared to have thought of. North Sea trawlers +were frequently used for getting contraband ashore. Was the +Girondin transferring illicit cargo to such vessels while at sea? + +This was a question Inspector Willis felt he could not solve. It +would be a matter for the Customs Department. But he knew enough +about it to understand that immense difficulties would have to be +overcome before such a scheme could be worked. Firstly, there was +the size of the fraud. Six months ago, according to what Miss +Coburn overheard, the syndicate were making 6,800 pounds per trip, +and probably, from the remarks then made, they were doing more +today. And 6,800 meant - the inspector buried himself in +calculations - at least one thousand gallons of brandy. Was it +conceivable that trawlers could get rid of one thousand gallons +every ten days - One hundred gallons a day? Frankly he thought +it impossible. In fact, in the face of the Customs officers' +activities, he doubted if such a thing could be done by any kind of +machinery that could be devised. Indeed, the more Willis pondered +the smuggling theory, the less likely it seemed to him, and he +turned to consider the possibilities of Miss Coburn's SUGGESTION +of false note printing. + +Here at once he was met by a fact which he had not mentioned to +Merriman. As it happened, the circulation of spurious Treasury +notes was one of the subjects of interest to Scotland Yard at the +moment. Notes were being forged and circulated in large numbers. +Furthermore, the source of supply was believed to be some of the +large towns in the Midlands, Leeds being particularly suspected. +But Leeds was on the direct line through Ferriby, and comparatively +not far away. Willis felt that it was up to him to explore to the +uttermost limit all the possibilities which these facts opened up. + +He began by looking at the matter from the conspirators' point of +view. Supposing they had overcome the difficulty of producing the +notes, how would they dispose of them? + +Willis could appreciate the idea of locating the illicit press in +France. Firstly, it would be obvious to the gang that the early +discovery of a fraud of the kind was inevitable. Its existence, +indeed, would soon become common property. But this would but +slightly affect its success. It was the finding of the source of +supply that mattered, and the difficulty of this was at once the +embarrassment of the authorities and the opportunity of the +conspirators. + +Secondly, English notes were to he forged and circulated in England, +therefore it was from the English police that the source of supply +must be hidden. And how better could this be done than by taking +it out of England altogether? The English police would look in +England for what they wanted. The attention of the French police, +having no false French notes to deal with, would not be aroused. +It seemed to Willis that so far he was on firm ground. + +The third point was that, granting the first two, some agency would +be required to convey the forged notes from France to England. But +here a difficulty arose. The pit-prop plan seemed altogether too +elaborate and cumbrous for all that was required. Willis, as +Merriman had done earlier, pictured the passenger with the padded +overcoat and the double-bottomed handbag. This traveller, it seemed, +would meet the case. + +But did he? Would there not, with him, be a certain risk? There +would be a continuous passing through Customs houses, frequent +searchings of the faked suitcase. Accidents happen. Suppose the +traveller held on to his suitcase too carefully? Some sharp-eyed +Customs officer might become suspicious. Suppose he didn't hold on +carefully enough and it were lost? Yes, there would be risks. +Small, doubtless, but still risks. And the gang couldn't afford +them. + +As Willis turned the matter over in his mind, he came gradually to +the conclusion that the elaboration of the pit-prop business was +no real argument against its having been designed merely to carry +forged notes. As a business, moreover, it would pay or almost +pay. It would furnish a secret method of getting the notes across +at little or no cost. And as a blind, Willis felt that nothing +better could be devised. The scheme visualized itself to him as +follows. Somewhere in France, probably in some cellar in Bordeaux, +was installed the illicit printing-press. There the notes were +produced. By some secret method they were conveyed to Henri when +his lorry-driving took him into the city, and he in turn brought +them to the clearing and handed them over to Coburn. Captain +Beamish and Bulla would then take charge of them, probably hiding +them on the Girondin in some place which would defy a surprise +Customs examination. Numbers of such places, Willis felt sure, +could be arranged, especially in the engine room. The cylinders +of a duplicate set of pumps, disused on that particular trip, +occurred to him as an example. After arrival at Ferriby there +would be ample opportunity for the notes to be taken ashore and +handed over to Archer, and Archer "could plant stuff on Old +Nick himself." + +The more he pondered over it, the more tenable this theory seemed +to Inspector Willis. He rose and began pacing the room, frowning +heavily. More than tenable, it seemed a sound scheme cleverly +devised and carefully worked out. Indeed he could think of no means +so likely to mislead and delude suspicious authorities in their +search for the criminals as this very plan. + +Two points, however, think as he might, he could not reconcile. +One was that exasperating puzzle of the changing of the lorry number +plates, the other how the running of a second boat to Swansea would +increase the profits of the syndicate. + +But everything comes to him who waits, and at last he got an idea. +What if the number of the lorry was an indication to the printers +of the notes as to whether Henri was or was not in a position to +take over a consignment? Would some such sign be necessary? If +Henri suspected he was under observation, or if he had to make +calls in unsuitable places, he would require a secret method of +passing on the information to his accomplices. And if so, could a +better scheme be devised than that of showing a prearranged number +on his lorry? Willis did not think so, and he accepted the theory +for what it was worth. + +Encouraged by his progress, he next tackled his second difficulty + - how the running of a second boat would dispose of more notes. +But try as he would he could arrive at no conclusion which would +explain the point. It depended obviously on the method of +distribution adopted, and of this part of the affair he was entirely +ignorant. Failure to account for this did not therefore necessarily +invalidate the theory as a whole. + +And with the theory as a whole he was immensely pleased. As far as +he could see it fitted all the known facts, and bore the stamp of +probability to an even greater degree than that of brandy smuggling. + +But theories were not enough. He must get ahead with his +investigation. + +Accordingly next morning he began his new inquiry by sending a +telegram. + +"To BEAMISH, Landes Pit-Prop Syndicate, Ferriby, Hull. + +"Could you meet me off London train at Paragon Station at 3.9 +tomorrow re death of Coburn. I should like to get back by 4.0. +If not would stay and go out to Ferriby. + + "WILLIS, + "Scotland Yard." + +He travelled that same day to Hull, having arranged for the reply +to be sent after him. Going to the first-class refreshment room +at the Paragon, he had a conversation with the barmaid in which he +disclosed his official position, and passed over a ten-shilling +note on account for services about to be rendered. Then, leaving +by the evening train, he returned to Doncaster, where he spent the +night. + +On the next day he boarded the London train which reaches Hull at +3.9. At Paragon Station he soon singled out Beamish from Merriman's +description. + +"Sorry for asking you to come in, Captain Beamish," he apologized, +"but I was anxious if possible to get back to London tonight I heard +of you from Miss Coburn and Mr. Merriman, both of whom read of the +tragedy in the papers, and severally came to make inquiries at the +Yard. Lloyd's Register told me your ship came in here, so I came +along to see you in the hope that you might be able to give me some +information about the dead man which might suggest a line of inquiry +as to his murderer." + +Beamish replied politely and with a show of readiness and candor. + +"No trouble to meet you, inspector. I had to come up to Hull in +any case, and I shall be glad to tell you anything I can about poor +Coburn. Unfortunately I am afraid it won't be much. When our +syndicate was starting we wanted a manager for the export end. +Coburn applied, there was a personal interview, he seemed suitable +and he was appointed on trial. I know nothing whatever about him +otherwise, except that he made good, and I may say that in the two +years of our acquaintance I always found him not only pleasant and +agreeable to deal with, but also exceedingly efficient in his work." + +Willis asked a number of other questions - harmless questions, +easily answered about the syndicate and Coburn's work, ending up +with an expression of thanks for the other's trouble and an +invitation to adjourn for a drink. + +Beamish accepting, the inspector led the way to the first-class +refreshment room and approached the counter opposite the barmaid +whose acquaintance he had made the previous day. + +"Two small whiskies, please," he ordered, having asked his +companion's choice. + +The girl placed the two small tumblers of yellow liquid before her +customers and Willis added a little water to each. + +"Well, here's yours," he said, and raising his glass to his lips, +drained the contents at a draught. Captain Beamish did the same. + +The inspector's offer of a second drink having been declined, the +two men left the refreshment room, still chatting about the murdered +man. Ten minutes later Captain Beamish saw the inspector off in the +London train. But he did not know that in the van of that train +there was a parcel, labelled to "Inspector Willis, passenger to +Doncaster by 4.0 p.m.," which contained a small tumbler, smelling +of whisky, and carefully packed up so as to prevent the sides from +being rubbed. + +The inspector was the next thing to excited when, some time later, +he locked the door of his bedroom in the Stag's Head Hotel at +Doncaster and, carefully unpacking the tumbler, he took out his +powdering apparatus and examined it for prints. With satisfaction +he found his little ruse had succeeded. The glass bore clearly +defined marks of a right thumb and two fingers. + +Eagerly he compared the prints with those he had found on the taxi +call-tube. And then he suffered disappointment keen and deep. The +two sets were dissimilar. + +So his theory had been wrong, and Captain Beamish was not the +murderer after all! He realized now that he had been much more +convinced of its truth than he had had any right to be, and his +chagrin was correspondingly greater. He had indeed been so sure +that Beamish was his man that he had failed sufficiently to consider +other possibilities, and now he found himself without any alternative +theory to fall back on. + +But he remained none the less certain that Coburn's death was due +to his effort to break with the syndicate, and that it was to the +syndicate that he must look for light on the matter. There were +other members of it - he knew of two, Archer and Morton, and there +might be more - one of whom might be the man he sought. It seemed +to him that his next business must be to find those other members, +ascertain if any of them were tall men, and if so, obtain a copy +of their finger-prints. + +But how was this to be done? Obviously from the shadowing of the +members whom he knew, that was, Captain Beamish, Bulla, and Benson, +the Ferriby manager. Of these, Beamish and Bulla were for the most +part at sea; therefore, he thought, his efforts should be +concentrated on Benson. + +It was with a view to some such contingency that he had alighted at +Doncaster instead of returning to London, and he now made up his +mind to return on the following day to Hull and, the Girondin having +by that time left, to see what he could learn at the Ferriby depot. + +He spent three days shadowing Benson, without coming on anything in +the slightest degree suspicious. The manager spent each of the days +at the wharf until about six o'clock. Then he walked to Ferriby +Station and took the train to Hull, where he dined, spent the evening +at some place of amusement, and returned to the depot by a late train. + +On the fourth day, as the same program seemed to be in prowess, Willis +came to the conclusion that he was losing time and must take some more +energetic step. He determined that if Benson left the depot in the +evening as before, he would try to effect an entrance to his office +and have a look through his papers. + +Shortly after six, from the hedge behind which he had concealed +himself, he saw Benson appear at the door in the corrugated iron +fence, and depart in the direction of Ferriby. The five employees +had left about an hour earlier, and the inspector believed the works +were entirely deserted. + +After giving Benson time to get clear away, he crept from his hiding +place, and approaching the depot, tried the gate in the fence. It +was locked, but few locks were proof against the inspector's prowess, +and with the help of a bent wire he was soon within the enclosure. He +closed We gate behind hint and glancing carefully round, approached +the shed. + +The door of the office was also locked, but the bent wire conquered +it too, and in a coup1e of minutes he pushed it open, passed through, +and closed it behind him. + +The room was small, finished with yellow matchboarded walls and +ceiling, and containing a closed roll-top desk, a table littered with +papers, a vertical file, two cupboards, a telephone, and other simple +office requisites. Two doors led out of it one to the manager's +bedroom, the other to the shed. Thinking that those could wait, +Willis settled down to make an examination of the office. + +He ran rapidly though methodically through the papers on the table +without finding anything of interest. All referred to the pit-prop +industry, and seemed to indicate that the business was carried on +efficiently. Next he tackled the desk, picking the lock with his +usual skill. Here also, though he examined everything with meticulous +care, his search was fruitless. + +He moved to the cupboards. One was unfastened and contained old +ledgers, account books and the like, none being of any interest. +The other cupboard was locked, and Willis's quick eyes saw that the +woodwork round the keyhole was much scratched, showing that the +lock was frequently used. Again the wire was brought into +requisition, and in a moment the door swung open, revealing to the +inspector's astonished gaze - a telephone. + +Considerably puzzled, he looked round to the wall next the door. +Yes, he had not been mistaken; there also was affixed a telephone. +He crossed over to it, and following with his eye the run of the +wires, saw that it was connected to those which approached the +shed from across the railway. + +With what, then, did this second instrument communicate? There were +no other wires approaching the shed, nor could he find any connection +to which it could be attached. + +He examined the instrument more closely, and then he saw that it was +not of the standard government pattern. It was marked "The A. M. +Curtiss Co., Philadelphia, Pa." It was therefore part of a private +installation and, as such, illegal, as the British Government hold +the monopoly for all telephones in the country. At least it would +be illegal if it were connected up. + +But was it? The wires passed through the back of the cupboard into +the wall, and, looking down, Willis saw that one of the wall sheeting +boards, reaching from the cupboard to the floor, had at some time been +taken out and replaced with screws. + +To satisfy his curiosity he took out his combination pocket knife, +and deftly removing the screws, pulled the board forward. His +surprise was not lessened when he saw that the wires ran down inside +the wall and, heavily insulated, disappeared into the ground beneath +the shed. + +"Is it possible that they have a cable?" thought the puzzled man, as +he replaced the loose board and screwed it fast. + +The problem had to stand over, as he wished to complete his +investigation of the remainder of the building. But though he +searched the entire premises with the same meticulous thoroughness +that he had displayed in dealing with the papers, he came on nothing +else which in any way excited his interest. + +He let himself out and, relocking the various doors behind him, +walked to Hassle and from there returned to his hotel in Hull. + +He was a good deal intrigued by his discovery of the secret telephone. +That it was connected up and frequently used he was certain, both +from the elaboration of its construction and from the marking round +the cupboard keyhole. He wondered if he could without discovery tap +the wires and overhear the business discussed. Had the wires been +carried on poles the matter would have been simple, but as things +were he would have to make his connection under the loose board and +carry his cable out through the wall and along the shore to some +point at which the receiver would be hidden - by no means an easy +matter. + +But in default of something better he would have tried it, had not +a second discovery he made later on the same evening turned his +thoughts into an entirely new channel. + +It was in thinking over the probable purpose of the telephone that +he got his idea. It seemed obvious that it was used for the secret +side of the enterprise, and if so, would it not most probably connect +the import depot of the secret commodity with that of its +distribution? Ferriby wharf was the place of import, but the +distribution, as the conversations overheard indicated, lay not in +the hands of Benson but of Archer. What if the telephone led to +Archer? + +There was another point. The difficulty of laying a secret land +wire would be so enormous that in the nature of things the line +must be short. It must either lead, Willis imagined, to the +southern bank of the estuary or to somewhere quite near. + +But if both these conclusions were sound, it followed that Archer +himself must be found in the immediate neighborhood. Could he +learn anything from following up this idea? + +He borrowed a directory of Hull and began looking up all the +Archers given in the alphabetical index. There were fifteen, and +of these one immediately attracted his attention. It read: + +"Archer, Archibald Charles, The Elms, Ferriby." + +He glanced at his watch. It was still but slightly after ten. +Taking his hat he walked to the police station and saw the sergeant +on duty. + +"Yes, sir," said the man in answer to his inquiry. "I know the +gentleman. He is the managing director of Ackroyd and Holt's +distillery, about half-way between Ferriby and Hassle." + +"And what is he like in appearance?" Willis continued, concealing +the interest this statement had aroused. + +"A big man, sir," the sergeant answered. "Tall, and broad too. +Clean shaven, with heavy features, very determined looking." + +Willis had food for thought as he returned to his hotel. Merriman +had been thrilled when he learned of the proximity of the distillery +to the syndicate's depot, seeing therein an argument in favor of the +brandy smuggling theory. This new discovery led Willis at first to +take the same view, but the considerations which Hilliard had pointed +out occurred to him also, and though he felt a little puzzled, he was +inclined to dismiss the matter as a coincidence. + +Though after his recent experience he was even more averse to jumping +to conclusions than formerly, Willis could not but believe that he +was at last on a hopeful scent. At all events his first duty was +clear. He must find this Archibald Charles Archer, and obtain prints +of his fingers. + +Next morning found him again at Ferriby, once more looking southwards +from the concealment of a cluster of bushes. But this time the object +of his attention was no longer the syndicate's depot. Instead he +focused his powerful glasses on the office of the distillery. + +About nine-thirty a tall, stoutly built man strode up to the building +and entered. His dress indicated that he was of the employer class, +and from the way in which a couple of workmen touched their caps as +he passed, Willis had no doubt he was the managing director. + +For some three hours the inspector lay hidden, then he suddenly +observed the tall man emerge from the building and walk rapidly in +the direction of Ferriby. Immediately the inspector crept down the +hedge nearer to the road, so as to see his quarry pass at close +quarters. + +It happened that as the man came abreast of Willis, a small +two-seater motor-car coming from the direction of Ferriby also +reached the same spot. But instead of passing, it slowed down +and its occupant hailed the tall man. + +"Hallo, Archer," he shouted. "Can I give you a lift?" + +"Thanks," the big man answered. "It would be a kindness. I have +unexpectedly to go into Hull, and my own car is out of order." + +"Run you in in quarter of an hour." + +"No hurry. If I am in by half past one it will do. I am lunching +with Frazer at the Criterion at that time." + +The two-seater stopped, the big man entered, and the vehicle moved +away. + +As soon as it was out of sight, Willis emerged from his hiding-place, +and hurrying to the station, caught the 1.17 train to Hull. Twenty +minutes later he passed through the swing doors of the Criterion. + +The hotel, as is well known, is one of the most fashionable in Hull, +and at the luncheon hour the restaurant was well filled. Glancing +casually round, Willis could see his new acquaintance seated at a +table in the window, in close conversation with a florid, red-haired +individual of the successful business man type. + +All the tables in the immediate vicinity were occupied, and Willis +could not get close by in the hope of overhearing some of the +conversation, as he had intended. He therefore watched the others +from a distance, and when they had moved to the lounge he followed +them. + +He heard them order coffee and liqueurs, and then a sudden idea came +into his head. Rising, he followed the waiter through the service +door. + +"I want a small job done," he said, while a ten-shilling note changed +hands. "I am from Scotland Yard, and I want the finger-prints of the +men who have just ordered coffee. Polish the outsides of the liqueur +glasses thoroughly, and only lift them by the stems. Then when the +men have gone let me have the glasses." + +He returned to the lounge, and presently had the satisfaction of +seeing Archer lift his glass by the bowl between the finger and thumb +of his right hand, to empty his liqueur into his coffee. Hall an hour +later he was back in his hotel with the carefully packed glass. + +A very few minutes sufficed for the test. The impressions showed up +well, and this time the inspector gave a sigh of relief as he +compared them with those of the taxi speaking-tube. They were the +same. His quest was finished. Archer was the murderer of Francis +Coburn. + +For a minute or two, in his satisfaction, the inspector believed his +work was done. He had only to arrest Archer, take official prints +of his fingers, and he had all the necessary proof for a conviction. +But a moment's consideration showed him that his labors were very +far indeed from being over. What he had accomplished was only a +part of the task he had set himself. It was a good deal more likely +that the other members of the syndicate were confederates in the +murder as well as in the illicit trade. He must get his hands on +them too. But if he arrested Archer he would thereby destroy all +chance of accomplishing the greater feat. The very essence of +success lay in lulling to rest any doubts that their operations +were suspect which might have entered into the minds of the members +of the syndicate. No, he would do nothing at present, and he once +more felt himself up against the question which had baffled Hilliard +and Merriman - What was the syndicate doing? Until he had answered +this, therefore, he could not rest. + +And how was it to be done? After some thought he came to the +conclusion that his most promising clue was the secret telephone, +and he made up his mind the next day he would try to find its other +end, and if necessary tap the wires and listen in to any conversation +which might take place. + + +CHAPTER 15 + +INSPECTOR WILLIS LISTENS IN + +Inspector Willis was a good deal exercised by the question of +whether or not he should have Archer shadowed. If the managing +director conceived the slightest suspicion of his danger he would +undoubtedly disappear, and a man of his ability would not be +likely to leave many traces. On the other hand Willis wondered +whether even Scotland Yard men could shadow him sufficiently +continuously to be a real safeguard, without giving themselves +away. And if that happened he might indeed arrest Archer, but it +would be good-bye to any chance of getting his confederates. + +After anxious thought he decided to take the lesser risk. He +would not bring assistants into the matter, but would trust to +his own skill to carry on the investigation unnoticed by the +distiller. + +Though the discovery of Archer's identity seemed greatly to +strengthen the probability that the secret telephone led to him, +Willis could not state this positively, and he felt it was the +next point to be ascertained. The same argument that he had used +before seemed to apply - that owing to the difficulty of wiring, +the point of connection must be close to the depot. Archer's +office was not more than three hundred yards away, while his +house, The Elms, was over a mile. The chances were therefore +in favor of the former. + +It followed that he must begin by searching Archer's office for the +other receiver, and he turned his attention to the problem of how +this could best be done. + +And first, as to the lie of the offices. He called at the Electric +Generating Station, and having introduced himself confidentially to +the manager in his official capacity, asked to see the man whose +business it was to inspect the lights of the distillery. From him +he had no difficulty in obtaining a rough plan of the place. + +It appeared that the offices were on the first floor, fronting +along the line, Archer's private office occupying the end of the +suite and the corner of the building nearest to the syndicate's +wharf, and therefore to Ferriby. The supervisor believed that it +had two windows looking to the front and side respectively, but +was not sure. + +That afternoon Inspector Willis returned to the distillery, and +secreting himself in the same hiding place as before, watched until +the staff had left the building. Then strolling casually along the +lane, he observed that the two telephone wires which approached +across the fields led to the third window from the Ferriby end of +the first floor row. + +"That'll be the main office," he said to himself, "but there will +probably be an extension to Archer's own room. Now I wonder- " + +He looked about him. The hedge bounding the river side of the lane +ran up to the corner of the building. After another hasty glance +round Willis squeezed through and from immediately below scrutinized +the side window of the managing director's room. And then he saw +something which made him chuckle with pleasure. + +Within a few inches of the architrave of the window there was a +down-spout, and from the top of the window to the spout he saw +stretching what looked like a double cord. It was painted the +same color as the walls, and had he not been looking out specially +he would not have seen it. A moment's glance at the foot of the +spout showed him his surmise was correct. Pushed in behind it and +normally concealed by it were two insulated wires, which ran down +the wall from the window and disappeared into the ground with the +spout. + +"Got it first shot," thought the inspector delightedly, as he moved +away so as not to attract the attention of any chance onlooker. + +Another idea suddenly occurred to him and, after estimating the +height and position of the window, he turned and ran his eye once +more over his surroundings. About fifty yards from the distillery, +and behind the hedge fronting the lane, stood the cottage which +Hilliard and Merriman had noticed. It was in a bad state of repair, +having evidently been unoccupied for a long time. In the gable +directly opposite the managing director's office was a broken +window. Willis moved round behind the house, and once again +producing his bent wire, in a few moments had the back door open. +Slipping inside, he passed through the damp-smelling rooms and up +the decaying staircase until he reached the broken window. From +it, as he had hoped, he found he had a good view into the office. + +He glanced at his *watch. It was ten minutes past seven. + +"I'll do it tonight," he murmured, and quietly leaving the house, +he hurried to Ferriby Station and so to Hull. + +Some five hours later he left the city again, this time by motor. +He stopped at the end of the lane which ran past the distillery, +dismissed the vehicle, and passed down the lane. He was carrying +a light, folding ladder, a spade, a field telephone, a coil of +insulated wire, and some small tools. + +The night was very dark. The crescent moon would not rise for +another couple of hours, and a thick pall of cloud cut off all +light from the stars. A faint wind stirred the branches of the +few trees in the neighborhood and sighed across the wide spaces of +open country. The inspector walked slowly, being barely able to +see against the sky the tops of the hedges which bounded the lane. +Except for himself no living creature seemed to be abroad. + +Arrived at his destination, Willis felt his way to the gap in the +hedge which he had used before, passed through, and with infinite +care raised his ladder to the window of Archer's office. He could +not see the window, but he checked the position of the ladder by +the measurements from the hedge. Then he slowly ascended. + +He found he had gauged his situation correctly, and he was soon on +the sill of the window, trying with his knife to push back the +hasp. This he presently accomplished, and then, after an effort +so great that he thought he would be beaten, he succeeded in raising +the sash. A minute later he was in the room. + +His first care was to pull down the thick blinds of blue holland +with which the windows were fitted. Then tip-toeing to the door, +he noiselessly shot the bolt in the lock. + +Having thus provided against surprise, he began his investigation. +There in the top corner of the side window were the wires. They +followed the miter of the window architrave - white-enameled to +match - and then, passing down for a few inches at the outside of +the moldings, ran along the picture rail round the room, concealed +in the groove behind it. Following in the same way the miter of +the architrave, they disappeared though a door in the back wall of +the office. + +Willis softly opened the door, which was not locked, and peered +into a small store, evidently used for filing. The wires were +carried down the back of the architrave molding and along the top +of the wainscoting, until finally they disappeared into the side of +one of a series of cupboards which lined the wall opposite the door. +The cupboard was locked, but with the help of the bent wire it soon +stood open and Willis, flashing in a beam from his electric torch, +saw with satisfaction that he had attained at least one of his +objects. A telephone receiver similar to that at the syndicate's +depot was within. + +He examined the remaining contents of the room, but found nothing +of interest until he came to the door. This was solidly made and +edged with rubber, and he felt sure that it would be almost +completely sound-proof. It was, moreover, furnished with a +well-oiled lock. + +"Pretty complete arrangement," Willis thought as he turned back to +the outer office. Here he conducted another of his meticulous +examinations, but unfortunately with a negative result. + +Having silently unlocked the door and pulled up the blinds, he +climbed out on the window sill and closed the window. He was unable +to refasten the hasp, and had therefore to leave this evidence of +his visit, though he hoped and believed it would not be noticed. + +Lifting down the ladder, he carried it to the cottage and hid it +therein. Part of his task was done, and he must wait for daylight +to complete the remainder. + +When some three hours later the coming dawn had made objects visible, +he again emerged armed with his tools and coil of insulated wire. +Digging a hole at the bottom of the down-pipe, he connected his +wires just below the ground level to those of the telephone. Then +inserting his spade along the face of the wall from the pipe to the +hedge, he pushed back the adjoining soil, placed the wires in the +narrow trench thus made, and trod the earth back into place. When +the hole at the down-spout had been filled, practically no trace +remained of the disturbance. + +The ground along the inside of the hedge being thickly grown over +with weeds and grass, he did not think it necessary to dig a trench +for the wire, simply bedding it beneath the foliage. But he made +a spade cut across the sward from the hedge to the cottage door, +sank in the wire and trod out the cut. Once he had passed the tiny +cable beneath the front door he no longer troubled to hide it but +laid it across the floors and up the airs to the broken window. +There he attached the field receiver, affixing it to his ear so as +to be ready for eventualities. + +It was by this time half past six and broad daylight, but Willis +had seen no sign of life and he believed his actions had been +unobserved. He ate a few sandwiches, then lighting his pipe, lay +down on the floor and smoked contentedly. + +His case at last was beginning to prosper. The finding of Coburn's +murderer was of course an event of outstanding importance, and now +the discovery of the telephone was not only valuable for its own +sake, but was likely to bring in a rich harvest of information from +the messages he hoped to intercept. Indeed he believed he could +hardly fail to obtain from this source a definite indication of the +nature and scope of the conspiracy. + +About eight o'clock he could see from his window a number of workmen +arrive at the distillery, followed an hour later by a clerical staff. +After them came Archer, passing from his car to the building with +his purposeful stride. Almost immediately he appeared in his office, +sat down at his desk, and began to work. + +Until nearly midday Willis watched him going through papers, dictating +letters, and receiving subordinates. Then about two minutes to the +hour he saw him look at his watch, rise, and approach the door from +the other office, which was in Willis's line of vision behind the +desk. He stooped over the lock as if turning the key, and then the +watcher's excitement rose as the other disappeared out of sight in +the direction of the filing room. + +Willis was not disappointed. Almost immediately he heard the faint +call of the tiny buzzer, and then a voice - Archer's voice, he +believed, from what he had heard in the hotel lounge called softly, +"Are you there?" + +There was an immediate answer. Willis had never heard Benson speak, +but he presumed that the reply must be from him. + +"Anything to report?" Archer queried. + +"No. Everything going on as usual." + +"No strangers poking round and asking questions?" + +"And no traces of a visitor while you were away?" + +"None." + +"Good. It's probably a false alarm. Beamish may have been mistaken." + +"I hope so, but he seemed very suspicious of that Scotland Yard man +- said he was sure he was out for more than he pretended. He thought +he was too easily satisfied with the information he got, and that +some of his questions were too foolish to be genuine." + +Inspector Willis sat up sharply. This was a blow to his dignity, +and he felt not a little scandalized. But he had no time to consider +his feelings. Archer was speaking again. + +"I think we had better be on the safe side. If you have the slightest +suspicion don't wait to report to me. Wire at once to Henri at the +clearing this message - take it down so that there'll be no mistake +- 'Six hundred four-foot props wanted. If possible send next cargo.' +Got that? He will understand. It is our code for 'Suspect danger. +Send blank cargoes until further notice.' Then if a search is made +nothing will be found, because there won't be anything there to +find." + +"Very good. It's a pity to lose the money, but I expect you're +right." + +"We can't take avoidable risks. Now about yourself. I see you +brought no stuff up last night?" + +"Couldn't. I had a rotten bilious attack. I started, but had to +go back to bed again. Couldn't stand." + +"Better?" + +"Yes, all right now, thanks." + +"Then you'll bring the usual up tonight?" + +"Certainly." + +"Very well. Now, what about ten forty-five for tomorrow?" + +"Right." + +The switch snapped, and in a few seconds the watcher saw Archer +return to his office, bend for a moment over the lock of the door, +then reseat himself at his desk. + +"I've got them now," he thought triumphantly. "I've got them at +last. Tonight I'll take them red-handed in whatever they're doing." +He smiled in anticipation. "By Jove," he went on, "it was lucky +they sent nothing up last night, or they would have taken me +red-handed, and that might have been the end of me!" + +He was greatly impressed by the excellence of the telephone scheme. +There was nothing anywhere about it to excite suspicion, and it kept +Archer in touch with the illicit undertaking, while enabling him to +hold himself absolutely aloof from all its members. If the rest of +the organization was as good, it was not surprising that Hilliard, +and Merriman had been baffled. + +But the puzzle was now solved, the mystery at an end. That night, +so Willis assured himself, the truth would be known. + +He remained in his hiding place all day, until, indeed, he had +watched the workers at the distillery leave and the gray shadows of +evening had begun to descend. Then he hid the telephone and wire +in a cupboard, stealthily left the house, and after a rapid glance +round hurried along the lane towards Ferriby. + +He caught the 6.57 train to Hull, and in a few minutes was at the +police station. There he saw the superintendent, and after a +little trouble got him to fall in with the plan which he had +devised. + +As a result of their conference a large car left the city shortly +before nine, in which were seated Inspector Willis and eight picked +constables in plain clothes. They drove to the end of the Ferriby +Lane, where the men dismounted, and took cover behind some shrubs, +while the car returned towards Hull. + +It was almost, but not quite dark. There was no moon, but the sky +was clear and the stars were showing brightly. A faint air, in +which there was already a touch of chill, sighed gently through the +leaves, rising at intervals almost to a breeze, then falling away +again to nothing. Lights were showing here and there - yellow +gleams from unshaded windows, signal lamps from the railway, +navigation lights from the river. Except for the sound of the +retreating car and the dull roar of a distant train, the night was +very still, a night, in fact, pre-eminently suitable for the +inspector's purpose. + +The nine men moved silently down the lane at intervals of a few +minutes, their rubber-shod feet making no sound on the hard surface. +Willis went first, and as the others reached him he posted them in +the positions on which he had previously decided. One man took +cover behind the hedge of the lane, a short distance on the +distillery side of the wharf, another behind a pile of old material +on the railway at the same place, a third hid himself among some +bushes on the open ground between the railway and the river, while +a fourth crept as near to the end of the wharf as the tide would +allow, so as to watch approaches from the water. When they were in +position, Willis felt convinced no one could leave the syndicate's +depot for the distillery without being seen. + +The other four men he led on to the distillery, placing them in a +similar manner on its Ferriby side. If by some extraordinary +chance the messenger with the "stuff" should pass the first cordon, +the second, he was satisfied, would take him. He left himself +free to move about as might appear desirable. + +The country was extraordinarily deserted. Not one of the nine men +had seen a living soul since they left their motor, and Willis felt +certain that his dispositions had been carried out in absolute +secrecy. + +He crossed the fence on to the railway. By climbing half-way up +the ladder of a signal he was able to see the windows of the shed +over the galvanized fence. All were in darkness, and he wondered +if Benson had gone on his customary expedition into Hull. + +To satisfy himself on this point he hid beneath a wagon which was +standing on the siding close to the gate in the fence. If the +manager were returning by his usual train he would be due in a +few minutes, and Willis intended to wait and see. + +It was not long before a sharp footfall told that someone was +coming along the lane. The unknown paused at the stile, climbed +over; and, walking more carefully across the rails, approached the +door. Willis, whose eyes were accustomed to the gloom, could make +out the dim form of a man, showing like a smudge of intensified +blackness against the obscurity beyond. He unlocked the door, +passed through, slammed it behind him, and his retreating steps +sounded from within. Finally another door closed in the distance +and silence again reigned. + +Willis crawled out from beneath his truck and once more climbed +the signal ladder. The windows of Benson's office were now +lighted up, but the blinds being drawn, the inspector could see +nothing within. + +After about half an hour he observed the same phenomenon as +Hilliard and Merriman had witnessed - the light was carried from +the office to the bedroom, and a few minutes later disappeared +altogether. + +The ladder on which he was standing appearing to Willis to offer as +good an observation post as he could hope to get, he climbed to the +little platform at the top, and seating himself, leaned back against +the timber upright and continued his watch. + +Though he was keenly interested by his adventure, time soon began +to drag. It was cramped on the little seat, and he could not move +freely for fear of falling off. Then to his dismay he began to grow +sleepy. He had of course been up all the previous night, and though +he had dozed a little during his vigil in the deserted house, he had +not really rested. He yawned, stretched himself carefully, and made +a determined effort to overcome his drowsiness. + +He was suddenly and unexpectedly successful. He got the start of +his life, and for a moment he thought an earthquake had come. The +signal post trembled and swayed while with a heavy metallic clang +objects moved through the darkness near his head. He gripped the +rail, and then he laughed as he remembered that railway signals +were movable. This one had just been lowered for a train. + +Presently it roared past him, enveloping him in a cloud of steam, +which for an instant was lit bright as day by the almost white beam +that poured out of the open door of the engine firebox. Then, the +steam clearing, there appeared a strip of faintly lit ground on +either side of the flying carriage roofs; it promptly vanished; +red tail Lamps appeared, leaping away; there was a rattle of wheels +over siding connections, and with a rapidly decreasing roar the +visitation was past. For a moment there remained the quickly +moving spot of lighted steam, then it too vanished. Once again the +signal post swayed as the heavy mechanism of the arm dropped back +into the "on" position, and then all was once more still. + +The train had effectually wakened Willis, and he set himself with a +renewed vigor to this task. Sharply he watched the dark mass of the +shed with its surrounding enclosure, keenly he listened for some +sound of movement within. But all remained dark and silent. + +Towards one in the morning he descended from his perch and went the +round of his men. All were alert, and all were unanimous that no +one had passed. + +The time dragged slowly on. The wind had risen somewhat and clouds +were banking towards the north-west. It grew colder, and Willis +fancied there must be a touch of frost. + +About four o'clock he went round his pickets for the second time. +He was becoming more and more surprised that the attempt had been +delayed so long, and when some two hours later the coming dawn began +to brighten the eastern sky and still no sign had been observed, his +chagrin waxed keen. As the light increased, he withdrew his men to +cover, and about seven o'clock, when it was no longer possible that +anything would be attempted, he sent them by ones and twos to await +their car at the agreed rendezvous. + +He was more disappointed at the failure of his trap than he would +have believed possible. What, he wondered, could have happened? Why +had the conspirators abandoned their purpose? Had he given himself +away? He went over in his mind every step he had taken, and he did +not see how any one of them could have become known to his enemies, +or how any of his actions could have aroused their suspicions. No; +it was not, he felt sure, that they had realized their danger. Some +other quite accidental circumstance had intervened to cause them to +postpone the transfer of the "stuff" for that night But what +extraordinary hard luck for him! He had obtained his helpers from +the superintendent only after considerable trouble, and the +difficulty of getting them again would be much greater. And not the +least annoying thing was that he, a London man, one, indeed, of the +best men at the Yard, had been made to look ridiculous in the eyes +of these provincial police! + +Dog-tired and hungry though he was, he set his teeth and determined +that he would return to the cottage in the hope of learning the +reason of his failure from the conversation which he expected would +take place between Archer and Benson at a quarter to eleven that day. + +Repeating, therefore, his proceedings of the previous morning, he +regained his point of vantage at the broken window. Again he watched +the staff arrive, and again observed Archer enter and take his place +at his desk. He was desperately sleepy, and it required all the +power of his strong will to keep himself awake. But at last his +perseverance was rewarded, and at 10.45 exactly he saw Archer bolt +his door and disappear towards the filing room. A moment later the +buzzer sounded. + +"Are you there?" once again came in Archer's voice, followed by the +astounding phrase, "I see you brought up that stuff last night." + +"Yes, I brought up two hundred and fifty," was Benson's amazing +reply. + +Inspector Willis gasped. He could scarcely believe his ears. So +he had been tricked after all! In spite of his carefully placed +pickets, in spite of his own ceaseless watchfulness, he had been +tricked. Two hundred and fifty of the illicit somethings had been +conveyed, right under his and his men's noses, from the depot to +the distillery. Almost choking with rage and amazement he heard +Archer continue: + +"I had a lucky deal after our conversation yesterday, got seven +hundred unexpectedly planted. You may send up a couple of hundred +extra tonight if you like." + +"Right. I shall," Benson answered, and the conversation ceased. + +Inspector Willis swore bitterly as he lay back on the dusty floor +and pillowed his head on his hands. And then while he still fumed +and fretted, outraged nature asserted herself and he fell asleep. + +He woke, ravenously hungry, as it was getting dusk, and he did not +delay long in letting himself out of the house, regaining the lane, +and walking to Ferriby Station. An hour later he was dining at +his hotel in Hull. + + + +CHAPTER 16 + +THE SECRET OF THE SYNDICATE + + +A night's rest made Willis once more his own man, and next morning +he found that his choking rage had evaporated, and that he was able +to think calmly and collectedly over the failure of his plans. + +As he reconsidered in detail the nature of the watch he had kept, +he felt more than ever certain that his cordons had not been broken +through. No one, he felt satisfied, could have passed unobserved +between the depot and the distillery. + +And in spite of this the stuff had been delivered. Archer and +Benson were not bluffing to put him off the scent. They had no +idea they were overheard, and therefore had no reason to say +anything except the truth. + +How then was the communication being made? Surely, he thought, if +these people could devise a scheme, he should be able to guess it. +He was not willing to admit his brain inferior to any man's. + +He lit his pipe and drew at it slowly as he turned the question over +in his mind. And then a possible solution occurred to him. What +about a subterranean connection? Had these men driven a tunnel? + +Here undoubtedly was a possibility. To drive three hundred yards +of a heading large enough for a stooping man to pass through, would +be a simple matter to men who had shown the skill of these +conspirators. The soil was light and sandy, and they could use +without suspicion as much timber as they required to shore up their +work. It was true they would have to pass under the railway, but +that again was a matter of timbering. + +Their greatest difficulty, he imagined, would be in the disposal of +the surplus earth. He began to figure out what it would mean. The +passageway could hardly be less than four feet by five, to allow for +lining, and this would amount to about two yards of material to the +yard run, or say six hundred or seven hundred cubic yards altogether. +Could this have been absorbed in the filling of the wharf? He +thought so. The wharf was a large structure, thirty yards by thirty +at least and eight or nine feet high; more than two thousand cubic +yards of filling would have been required for it. The disposal of +the earth, therefore, would have presented no difficulty. All that +came out of the tunnel could have gone into the wharf three times +over. + +A tunnel seemingly being a practical proposition, he turned his +attention to his second problem. How could he find out whether or +not it had been made? + +Obviously only from examination at one or other end. If it existed +it must connect with cellars at the depot and the distillery. And +of these there could be no question of which he ought to, search. +The depot was not only smaller and more compact, but it was deserted +at intervals. If he could not succeed at the syndicate's enclosure +he would have no chance at the larger building. + +It was true he had already searched it without result, but he was +not then specially looking for a cellar, and with a more definite +objective he might have better luck. He decided that if Benson +went up to Hull that night he would have another try. + +He took an afternoon train to Ferriby, and walking back towards the +depot, took cover in the same place that he had previously used. +There, sheltered by a hedge, he watched for the manager's appearance. + +The weather had, from the inspector's point of view, changed for +the worse. The sunny days had gone, and the sky was overladen +with clouds. A cold wind blew in gustily from the south-east, +bringing a damp fog which threatened every minute to turn to rain, +and flecking the lead-colored waters of the estuary with spots of +white. Willis shivered and drew up his collar higher round his ears +as he crouched behind the wet bushes. + +"Confound it," he thought, "when I get into that shed I shall be +dripping water all over the floor." + +But he remained at his post, and in due course he was rewarded by +seeing Benson appear at the door in the fence, and after locking +it behind him, start off down the railway towards Ferriby. + +As before, Willis waited until the manager had got clear away, then +slipping across the line, he produced his bent wire, opened the door, +and five minutes later stood once more in the office. + +>From the nature of the case it seemed clear that the entrance to the +cellar, if one existed, would be hidden. It was therefore for secret +doors or moving panels that he must look. + +He began by ascertaining the thickness of all the walls, noting the +size of the rooms so as to calculate those he could not measure +directly. He soon found that no wall was more than six inches thick, +and none could therefore contain a concealed opening. + +This narrowed his search. The exit from the building could only be +through a trap-door in the floor. + +Accordingly he set to work in the office, crawling torch in hand +along the boards, scrutinizing the joints between them for any +that were not closed with dust, feeling for any that might be loose. +But all to no purpose. The boards ran in one length across the +floor and were obviously firmly nailed down on fixed joists. + +He went to the bedroom, rolling aside the mats which covered the +floor and moving the furniture back and forwards. But here he had +no better result. + +The remainder of the shed was floored with concrete, and a less +meticulous examination was sufficient to show that the surface was +unbroken. Nor was there anything either on the wharf itself or in +the enclosure behind the shed which could form a cover to a flight +of steps. + +Sorely disappointed, Willis returned once more to the office, and +sitting down, went over once again in his mind what he had done, +trying to think if there was a point on the whole area of the +depot which he had overlooked. He could recall none except the +space beneath a large wardrobe in the next room which, owing to +its obvious weight, he had not moved. + +"I suppose I had better make sure," he said to himself, though he +did not believe so massive a piece of furniture could have been +pulled backwards and forwards without leaving scratches on the +floor. + +He returned to the bedroom. The wardrobe was divided into two +portions, a single deep drawer along the bottom, and above it a +kind of large cupboard with a central door. He seized its end. +It was certainly very heavy; in fact, he found himself unable to +move it. + +He picked up his torch and examined the wooden base. And then +his interest grew, for he found it was strongly stitch-nailed +to the floor. + +Considerably mystified, he tried to open the door. It was locked, +and though with his wire he eventually shot back the bolt, the +trouble he had, proved that the lock was one of first quality. +Indeed, it was not a cupboard lock screwed to the inside of the +door as might have been expected, but a small-sized mortice lock +hidden in the thickness of the wood, and the keyhole came through +to the inside; just the same arrangement as is usual in internal +house doors. + +The inside of the wardrobe revealed nothing of interest. Two +coats and waistcoats, a sweater, and some other clothes were +hanging from hooks at the back. Otherwise the space was empty. + +"Why," he wondered as he stood staring in, "should it be necessary +to lock up clothes like these?" + +His eyes turned to the drawer below, and he seized the handles +and gave a sharp pull. The drawer was evidently locked. Once +again he produced his wire, but for the first time it failed him. +He flashed a beam from his lamp into the hole, and then he saw +the reason. + +The hole was a dummy. It entered the wood but did not go through +it. It was not connected to a lock. + +He passed the light round the edges of the drawer. If there was +no lock to fasten it why had he been unable to open it? He took out +his penknife and tried to push the blade into the surrounding space. +It would not penetrate, and he saw that there was no space, but +merely a cut half an inch deep in the wood. There was no drawer. +What seemed a drawer was merely a blind panel + +Inspector Willis grew more and more interested. He could not see +why all that space should be wasted, as it was clear from the way +in which the wardrobe was finished that economy in construction +had not been the motive. + +Once again he opened the door of the upper portion, and putting his +head inside passed the beam of the lamp over the floor. This time +he gave a little snort of triumph. The floor did not fit tight to +the sides. All round was a space of some eighth of an inch. + +"The trap-door at last," he muttered, as he began to feel about for +some hidden spring. At last, pressing down on one end of the floor, +he found that it sank and the other end rose in the air, revealing +a square of inky blackness out of which poured a stream of cold, +damp air, and through which he could hear, with the echoing sound +peculiar to vaults, the splashing and churning of the sea. + +His torch revealed a flight of steps leading down into the darkness. +Having examined the pivoted floor to make sure there was no secret +catch which could fasten and imprison him below, he stepped on to +the ladder and began to descend. Then the significance of the +mortice lock in the wardrobe door occurred to him, and he stopped, +drew the door to behind him, and with his wire locked it. Descending +farther he allowed the floor to drop gently into place above his +head, thus leaving no trace of his passage. + +He had by this time reached the ground, and he stood flashing his +torch about on his surroundings. He was in a cellar, so low in the +roof that except immediately beneath the stairs he could not stand +upright. It was square, some twelve feet either way, and from it +issued two passages, one apparently running down under the wharf, +the other at right angles and some two feet lower in level, leading +as if towards the distillery. Down the center of this latter ran +a tiny tramway of about a foot gauge, on which stood three kegs on +four-wheeled frames. In the upper side of each keg was fixed a +tun-dish, to the under side a stop-cock. Two insulated wires came +down through the ceiling below the cupboard in which the telephone +was installed, and ran down the tunnel towards the distillery. + +The walls and ceiling of both cellar and passages were supported +by pit-props, discolored by the damp and marked by stains of earthy +water which had oozed from the spaces between. They glistened with +moisture, but the air, though cold and damp, was fresh. That and +the noise of the waves which reverberated along the passage under +the wharf seemed to show that there was an open connection to the +river. + +The cellar was empty except for a large wooden tun or cask which +reached almost to the ceiling, and a gunmetal hand pump. Pipes led +from the latter, one to the tun, the other along the passage under +the wharf. On the side of the tun and connected to it at top and +bottom was a vertical glass tube protected by a wooden casing, +evidently a gauge, as beside it was a scale headed "gallons," and +reading from 0 at the bottom to 2,000 at the top. A dark-colored +liquid filled the tube up to the figure 1,250. There was a wooden +spigot tap in the side of the tun at floor level, and the tramline +ran beneath this so that the wheeled kegs could be pushed below it +and filled. + +The inspector gazed with an expression of almost awe on his face. + +"Lord!" he muttered. "Is it brandy after all?" + +He stooped and smelled the wooden tap, and the last doubt was +removed from his mind. + +He gave vent to a comprehensive oath. Right enough it was hard +luck! Here he had been hoping to bring off a forged note coup +which would have made his name, and the affair was a job for the +Customs Department after all! Of course a pretty substantial reward +would be due to him for his discovery, and there was his murder case +all quite satisfactory, but forged notes were more in his line, and +he felt cheated out of his due. + +But now that he was so far he might as well learn all he could. The +more complete the case he gave in, the larger the reward. Moreover, +his own curiosity was keenly aroused. + +The cellar being empty save for the tun, the pump, and the small +tramway and trucks, he turned, and flashing his light before him, +walked slowly along the passage down which ran the pipe. He was, +he felt sure, passing under the wharf and heading towards the +river. + +Some sixty feet past the pump the floor of the passage came to an +abrupt end, falling vertically as by an enormous step to churning +waters of the river some six feet below. At first in the +semi-darkness Willis thought he had reached the front of the wharf, +but he soon saw he was still in the cellar. The roof ran on at the +same level for some twenty feet farther, and the side walls, here +about five feet apart, went straight down from it into the water. +Across the end was a wall, sloping outwards at the bottom and made +of horizontal pit-props separated by spaces of two or three inches. +Willis immediately realized that these props must be those placed +behind the inner or raking row of piles which supported the front +of the wharf. + +Along one side wall for its whole length was nailed a series of +horizontal laths twelve inches apart. What their purpose was he +did not know, but he saw that they made a ladder twenty feet wide, +by which a man could work his way from the passage to the end wall +and reach the water at any height of the tide. + +Above this ladder was an object which at first puzzled the inspector, +then as he realized its object, it became highly illuminating. On a +couple of brackets secured to the wall lay a pipe of thin steel +covered with thick black baize, and some sixteen feet long by an +inch in diameter. Through it ran the light copper pipe which was +connected at its other end to the pump. At the end of the passage +this pipe had several joints like those of a gas bracket, and was +folded on itself concertina-wise. + +The inspector stepped on to the ladder and worked his way across it +to the other end of the steel pipe, close by the end wall. The +copper pipe protruded and ended in a filling like the half of a +union. As Willis gazed he suddenly grasped its significance. + +The side of the Girondin, he thought, would lie not more than ten +feet from where he was standing. If at night someone from within +the cellar were to push the end of the steel tube out through one +of the spaces between the horizontal timbers of the end wall, it +could be inserted into a porthole, supposing one were just opposite. +The concertina joints would make it flexible and allow it to extend, +and the baize covering would prevent its being heard should it +inadvertently strike the side of the ship. The union on the copper +tube could then be fixed to some receptacle on board, the brandy +being pumped from the ship to the tun. + +And no outsider could possibly be any the wiser! Given a dark night +and careful operators, the whole thing would be carried out invisibly +and in absolute silence. + +Now Willis saw the object of the peculiar construction of the front +of the wharf. It was necessary to have two lines of piles, so that +the deck between might overshadow and screen from view the openings +between the horizontal beams at the front of the cellar. He stood +marvelling at the ingenuity of the plan. No wonder Hilliard and +Merriman had been baffled. + +But if he were to finish his investigations, he must no longer +delay. He worked back across the side of the cellar, regained the +passage, and returned to the pump-room. Then turning into the +other passage, he began to walk as quickly as possible along it. + +The tunnel was barely four feet high by three wide, and he found +progress very tiring. After a slight curve at the mouth it ran +straight and almost dead level. Its construction was the same as +that of the cellar, longitudinal timber lining supported behind +verticals and lintels spaced about six feet apart. When he had +gone about two hundred yards it curved sharply to the left, ran +heavily timbered for some thirty yards in the new direction, and +then swung round to the right again. + +"I suppose the railway crosses here," Willis thought, as he passed +painfully round the bends. + +The sweat stood in drops on his forehead when he reached the end, +and he breathed a sigh of relief as he realized he could once more +stand upright and stretch his cramped back. He found himself in +another cellar, this time about six feet by twelve. The tramway +ran along it, stopping at the end wall. The place was otherwise +empty, save for a wooden grating or tun-dish with a hinged lid +which was fixed between the rails near the entrance. The telephone +wires, which had followed the tunnel all the way, here vanished +into the roof. + +Willis concluded he must be standing beneath some part of the +distillery, and a very little thought was required to make clear +to him the raison d'etre of what he saw. He pictured the kegs +being pushed under the tap of the large tun in the pump-room and +filled with brandy pumped in from the Girondin. In imagination he +saw Benson pushing his loaded trucks through the tunnel - a much +easier thing to do than to walk without something to step over + - stopping them one by one over the grating and emptying the +contents therein. No doubt that grating was connected to some vat +or tun buried still deeper beneath the distillery, in which the +brandy mingled with the other brandy brought there by more +legitimate means, and which was sold without documentary evidence +of its surprising increase in bulk. + +It was probable, thought Willis, that some secret door must connect +the chamber in which he stood with the distillery, but a careful +search revealed no trace of any opening, and he was forced to the +conclusion that none existed. Accordingly, he turned and began to +retrace his steps through the tunnel. + +The walk back seemed even longer and more irksome than his first +transit, and he stopped here and there and knelt down in order to +straighten his aching back. As he advanced, the booming sound of +the waves, which had died down to a faint murmur at the distillery, +grew louder and louder. At last he reached the pump-cellar, and +was just about to step out of the tunnel when his eye caught the +flicker of a light at the top of the step-ladder. Someone was +coming down! + +Willis instantly snapped off his own light, and for the fraction +of a second he stood transfixed, while his heart thumped and his +hand slid round to his revolver pocket. Breathlessly he watched +a pair of legs step on to the ladder and begin to descend the steps. + +Like a flash he realized what he must do. If this was Benson +coming to "take up stuff," to remain in the tunnel meant certain +discovery. But if only he could, reach the passage under the +wharf he might be safe. There was nothing to bring Benson into it. + +But to cross the cellar he must pass within two feet of the ladder, +and the man was half-way down. For a moment it looked quite +hopeless, then unexpectedly he got his chance. The man stopped to +lock the wardrobe door. When he had finished, Willis was already +across the cellar and hurrying down the other passage. Fortunately +the noise of the waves drowned all other sounds. + +By the time the unknown had reached the bottom of the ladder, Willis +had stepped on to the cross laths and was descending by them. In a +moment he was below the passage level. He intended, should the other +approach, to hide beneath the water in the hope that in the darkness +his head would not be seen. + +But the light remained in the cellar, and Willis raised himself and +cautiously peeped down the passage. Then he began to congratulate +himself on what he had just been considering his misfortune. For, +watching there in the darkness, he saw Benson carry out the very +operations he had imagined were performed. The manager wheeled the +kegs one by one beneath the great barrel, filled them from the tap, +and then, setting his lamp on the last of the three, pushed them +before him down the tunnel towards the distillery. + +Inspector Willis waited until he judged the other would be out of +sight, then left his hiding-place and cautiously returned to the +pump-room. The gauge now showed 1,125 gallons, and he noted that +125 gallons was, put up per trip. He rapidly ascended the steps, +passed out through the wardrobe, and regained the bedroom. A few +minutes later he was once more out on the railway. + +He had glanced at his watch in the building and found that it was +but little after ten. Benson must therefore have returned by an +earlier train than usual. Again the inspector congratulated himself +that events had turned out as they had, for though he would have +had no fear of his personal safety had he been seen, premature +discovery might have allowed the other members of the gang to escape. + +The last train for Hull having left, he started to walk the six +miles to the city. The weather had still further changed for the +worse, and now half a gale of wind whirled round him in a +pandemonium of sound and blew blinding squalls of rain into his +eyes. In a few moments he was soaked to the skin, and the +buffeting of the wind made his progress slow. But he struggled +on, too well pleased by the success of his evening's work to mind +the discomfort. + +And as he considered the affair on the following morning he felt +even more satisfied. He had indeed done well! Not only had he +completed what he set out to do - to discover the murderer of +Coburn - but he had accomplished vastly more. He had brought to +light one of the greatest smuggling conspiracies of modern times. +It was true he had not followed up and completed the case against +the syndicate, but this was not his business. Smuggling was not +dealt with by Scotland Yard. It was a matter for the Customs +Department. But if only it had been forged notes! He heaved a +sigh as he thought of the kudos which might have been his. + +But when he had gone so far, he thought he might as well make +certain that the brandy was discharged as he imagined. He +calculated that the Girondin would reach Ferriby on the following +day, and he determined to see the operation carried out. + +He followed the plan of Hilliard and Merriman to the extent of hiring +a boat in Hull and sculling gently down towards the wharf as dusk +fell. He had kept a watch on the river all day without seeing the +motor ship go up, but now she passed him a couple of miles above the +city. He turned inshore when he saw her coming, lest Captain +Beamish's binoculars might reveal to him a familiar countenance. + +He pulled easily, timing himself to arrive at the wharf as soon as +possible after dark. The evening was dry, but the south-easterly +wind still blew cold and raw, though not nearly so strongly as on +the night of his walk. + +There were a couple of lights on the Girondin, and he steered by +these till the dark mass of her counter, looming up out of the +night, cut them off. Slipping round her stern, as Hilliard had +done in the River Lesque, he unshipped his oars and guided the boat +by his hands into the V-shaped space between the two rows of piles +fronting the wharf. As he floated gently forward he felt between +the horizontal props which held back the filling until he came to +a vacant space, then knowing he was opposite the cellar, he slid +the boat back a few feet, tied her up, and settled down to wait. + +Though sheltered from the wind by the hull, it was cold and damp +under the wharf. The waves were lapping among the timbers, and the +boat moved uneasily at the end of her short painter. The darkness +was absolute - an inky blackness unrelieved by any point of light. +Willis realized that waiting would soon become irksome. + +But it was not so very long before the work began. He had been +there, he estimated, a couple of hours when he saw, not ten feet +away, a dim circle of light suddenly appear on the Girondin's side. +Someone had turned on a faint light in a cabin whose open porthole +was immediately opposite the cellar. Presently Willis, watching +breathlessly, saw what he believed was the steel pipe impinge on +and enter the illuminated ring. It remained projecting into the +porthole for some forty minutes, was as silently withdrawn, the +porthole was closed, a curtain drawn across it, and the light +turned up within. The brandy had been discharged. + +The thing had been done inaudibly, and invisibly to anyone on either +wharf or ship. Marvelling once more at the excellence and secrecy +of the plan, Willis gently pushed his boat out from among the piles +and rowed back down the river to Hull. There he tied the boat up, +and returning to his hotel, was soon fast asleep. + +In spite of his delight at the discovery, he could not but realize +that much still remained to be done. Though he had learned how the +syndicate was making its money, he had not obtained any evidence of +the complicity of its members in the murder of Coburn. + +Who, in addition to Archer, could be involved? There were, of +course, Beamish, Bulla, Benson, and Henri. There was also a man, +Morton, whose place in the scheme of things had not yet been +ascertained. He, Willis realized, must be found and identified. +But were these all? He doubted it. It seemed to him that the +smuggling system required more helpers than these. He now +understood how the brandy was got from the ship to the distillery, +and he presumed it was loaded at the clearing in the same manner, +being brought there in some unknown way by the motor lorries. But +there were two parts of the plan of which nothing was yet known. +Firstly, where was the brandy obtained from originally, and, +secondly, how was it distributed from the distillery? It seemed +to Willis that each of these operations would require additional +accomplices. And if so, these persons might also have been +implicated in Coburn's death. + +He thought over the thing for three solid hours before coming to +a decision. At the end of that time he determined to return to +London and, if his chief approved, lay the whole facts before the +Customs Departments of both England and France, asking them to +investigate the matter in their respective countries. In the +meantime he would concentrate on the question of complicity in +the murder. + +He left Hull by an afternoon train, and that night was in London. + + +CHAPTER 17 + +"ARCHER PLANTS STUFF" + + +Willis's chief at the Yard was not a little impressed by his +subordinate's story. He congratulated the inspector on his +discovery, commended him for his restraint in withholding action +against Archer until he had identified his accomplices, and +approved his proposals for the further conduct of the case. +Fortified by this somewhat unexpected approbation, Willis betook +himself forthwith to the headquarters of the Customs Department +and asked to see Hilliard. + +The two men were already acquainted. As has been stated, the +inspector had early called at Hilliard's rooms and learned all that +the other could tell him of the case. But for prudential reasons +they had not met since. + +Hilliard was tremendously excited by the inspector's news, and +eagerly arranged the interview with his chief which Willis sought. +The great man was not engaged, and in a few minutes the others +were shown into his presence. + +"We are here, sir," Willis began, when the necessary introductions +had been made, "to tell you jointly a very remarkable story. Mr. +Hilliard would doubtless have told you his part long before this, +had I not specially asked him not to. Now, sir, the time has come +to put the facts before you. Perhaps as Mr. Hilliard's story +comes before mine in point of time, he should begin." + +Hilliard thereupon began. He told of Merriman's story in the +Rovers' Club, his own idea of smuggling based on the absence of +return cargoes, his proposition to Merriman, their trip to France +and what they learned at the clearing. Then he described their +visit to Hull, their observations at the Ferriby wharf, the +experiment carried out with the help of Leatham, and, finally, what +Merriman had told him of his second visit to Bordeaux. + +Willis next took up the tale and described the murder of Coburn, +his inquiries thereinto and the identification of the assassin, +and his subsequent discoveries at Ferriby, ending up by stating +the problem which still confronted him, and expressing the hope +that the chief in dealing with the smuggling conspiracy would +co-operate with him in connection with the murder. + +The latter had listened with an expression of amazement, which +towards the end of the inspector's statement changed to one of the +liveliest satisfaction. He gracefully congratulated both men on +their achievements, and expressed his gratification at what had +been discovered and his desire to co-operate to the full with the +inspector in the settling up of the case. + +The three men then turned to details. To Hilliard's bitter +disappointment it was ruled that, owing to his being known to at +least three members of the gang, he could take no part in the +final scenes, and he had to be content with the honor of, as it +were, a seat on the council of war. For nearly an hour they +deliberated, at the end of which time it had been decided that +Stopford Hunt, one of the Customs Department's most skillful +investigators, should proceed to Hull and tackle the question of +the distribution of the brandy. Willis was to go to Paris, +interest the French authorities in the Bordeaux end of the affair, +and then join Hunt in Hull. + +Stopford Hunt was an insignificant-looking man of about forty. All +his characteristics might be described as being of medium quality. +He was five feet nine in height, his brown hair was neither fair nor +dark, his dress suggested neither poverty nor opulence, and his +features were of the type known as ordinary. In a word, he was not +one whose appearance would provoke a second glance or who would be +credited with taking an important part in anything that might be in +progress. + +But for his job these very peculiarities were among his chief assets. +When he hung about in an aimless, loafing way, as he very often did, +he was overlooked by those whose actions he was so discreetly +watching, and where mere loafing would look suspicious, he had the +inestimable gift of being able to waste time in an afraid and +preoccupied manner. + +That night Willis crossed to Paris, and next day he told his story +to the polite chief of the French Excise. M. Max was almost as +interested as his English confrere, and readily promised to have +the French end of the affair investigated. That same evening the +inspector left for London, going on in the morning to Hull. + +He found Hunt a shrewd and capable man of the world, as well as a +pleasant and INTERESTING companion. + +They had engaged a private sitting-room at their hotel, and after +dinner they retired thither to discuss their plan of campaign. + +"I wish," said Willis, when they had talked for some moments, "that +you would tell me something about how this liquor distribution +business is worked. It's outside my job, and I'm not clear on the +details. If I understood I could perhaps help you better." + +Hunt nodded and drew slowly at his pipe. + +"The principle of the thing," he answered, "is simple enough, though +in detail it becomes a bit complicated. The first thing we have to +remember is that in this case we're dealing, not with distillers, +but with rectifiers. Though in loose popular phraseology both +businesses are classed under the term 'distilling,' in reality there +is a considerable difference between them. Distillers actually +produce the spirit in their buildings, rectifiers do not. Rectifiers +import the spirit produced by distillers, and refine or prepare it +for various specified purposes. The check required by the Excise +authorities is therefore different in each case. With rectifiers it +is only necessary to measure the stuff that goes into and comes out +of the works. Making due allowance for variation during treatment, +these two figures will balance if all is right." + +Willis nodded, and Hunt resumed. + +"Now, the essence of all fraud is that more stuff goes out of the +works than is shown on the returns. That is, of course, another +way of saying that stuff is sold upon which duty has not been paid. +In the case of a rectifying house, where there is no illicit still, +more also comes in than is shown. In the present instance you +yourself have shown how the extra brandy enters. Our job is to +find out how it leaves." + +"That part of it is clear enough anyway," Willis said with a smile. +"But brandy smuggling is not new. There must surely be recognized +ways of evading the law?" + +"Quite. There are. But to follow them you must understand how +the output is measured. For every consignment of stuff that leaves +the works a permit or certificate is issued and handed to the +carrier who removes it. This is a kind of way-bill, and of course +a block is kept for the inspection of the surveying officer. It +contains a note of the quantity of stuff, date and hour of starting, +consignee's name and other information, and it is the authority for +the carrier to have the liquor in his possession. An Excise officer +may stop and examine any dray or lorry carrying liquor, or railway +wagon, and the driver or other official must produce his certificate +so that his load may be checked by it. All such what I may call +surprise examinations, together with the signature of the officer +making them, are recorded on the back of the certificate. When the +stuff is delivered, the certificate is handed over with it to the +consignee. He signs it on receipt. It then becomes his authority +for having the stuff on his premises, and he must keep it for the +Excise officer's inspection. Do you follow me so far?" + +"Perfectly." + +"The fraud, then, consists in getting more liquor away from the +works than is shown on the certificates, and I must confess it is +not easy. The commonest method, I should think, is to fill the +kegs or receptacles slightly fuller than the certificate shows. +This is sometimes done simply by putting extra stuff in the +ordinary kegs. It is argued that an Excise officer cannot by +his eye tell a difference of five or six per cent; that, for +example, twenty-six gallons might be supplied on a twenty-five +gallon certificate without anyone being much the wiser. +Variants of this method are to use slightly larger kegs, or, +more subtly, to use the normal sized kegs of which the wood at +the ends has been thinned down, and which therefore when filled +to the same level hold more, while showing the same measure with +a dipping rod. But all these methods are risky. On the suspicion +the contents of the kegs are measured and the fraud becomes +revealed." + +Willis, much interested, bent forward eagerly as the other, after +a pause to relight his pipe, continued: + +"Another common method is to send out liquor secretly, without a +permit at all. This may be done at night, or the stuff may go +through an underground pipe, or be hidden in innocent looking +articles such as suitcases or petrol tins. The pipe is the best +scheme from the operator's point of view, and one may remain +undiscovered for months, but the difficulty usually is to lay it +in the first instance. + +"A third method can be used only in the case of rectifiers and it +illustrates one of the differences between rectifiers and distillers. +Every permit for the removal of liquor from a distillery must be +issued by the excise surveyor of the district, whereas rectifiers +can issue their own certificates. Therefore in the case of +rectifiers there is the possibility of the issuing of forged or +fraudulent certificates. Of course this is not so easy as it +sounds. The certificates are supplied in books of two hundred by +the Excise authorities, and the blocks must be kept available for +the supervisor's scrutiny. Any certificates can be obtained from +the receivers of the spirit and compared with the blocks. Forged +permits are very risky things to work with, as all genuine ones +bear the government watermark, which is not easy to reproduce. +In fact, I may say about this whole question of liquor distribution +generally, that fraud has been made so difficult that the only hope +of those committing it is to avoid arousing suspicion. Once +suspicion is aroused, discovery follows almost as a matter of +course." + +"That's hopeful for us," Willis smiled. + +"Yes," the other answered, "though I fancy this case will be more +difficult than most. There is another point to be taken into +consideration which I have not mentioned, and that is, how the +perpetrators of the frauds are going to get their money. In the +last resort it can only come in from the public over the counters +of the licensed premises which sell the smuggled spirits. But +just as the smuggled liquor cannot be put through the books of +the house selling it, so the money received for it cannot be +entered either. This means that someone in authority in each +licensed house must be involved. It also carries with it a +SUGGESTION, though only a SUGGESTION, the houses in question are +tied houses. The director of a distillery company would have more +hold on the manager of their own tied houses than over an +outsider." + +Again Willis nodded without replying, and Hunt went on: + +"Now it happens that these Ackroyd & Holt people own some very +large licensed houses in Hull, and it is to them I imagine, that we +should first direct our attention." + +"How do you propose to begin?" + +"I think we must first find out how the Ferriby liquor is sent to +these houses. By the way, you probably know that already. You +watched the distillery during working hours, didn't you?" + +The inspector admitted it. + +"Did you see any lorries?" + +"Any number; large blue machines. I noticed them going and coming +in the Hull direction loaded up with barrels." + +Hunt seemed pleased. + +"Good," he commented. "That's a beginning anyway. Our next step +must be to make sure that all these lorries carry certificates. +We had better begin tomorrow." + +Willis did not quite see how the business was to be done, but he +forbore to ask questions, agreeing to fall in with his companion's +arrangements. + +These arrangements involved the departure from their hotel by taxi +at six o'clock the next morning. It was not fully light as they +whirled out along the Ferriby road, but the sky was clear and all +the indications pointed to a fine day. + +They dismounted at the end of the lane leading to the works, and +struck off across the fields, finally taking up their position +behind the same thick hedge from which Willis had previously kept +watch. + +They spent the whole of that day, as well as of the next two, in +their hiding-place, and at the end of that time they had a complete +list of all lorries that entered or left the establishment during +that period. No vehicles other than blue lorries appeared, and +Hunt expressed himself as satisfied that if the smuggled brandy was +not carried by them it must go either by rail or at night. + +"We can go into those other contingencies later if necessary," he +said, "but on the face of it I am inclined to back the lorries. +They supply the tied houses in Hull, which would seem the obvious +places for the brandy to go, and, besides, railway transit is too +well looked after to attract the gang. I think we'll follow this +lorry business through first on spec." + +"I suppose you'll compare the certificate blocks with the list I +made?" Willis asked. + +"Of course. That will show if all carry certificates. But I don't +want to do that yet. Before alarming them I want to examine the +contents of a few of the lorries. I think we might do that tomorrow." + +The next morning, therefore, the two detectives again engaged a +taxi and ran out along the Ferriby road until they met a large blue +lorry loaded with barrels and bearing on its side the legend "Ackroyd +& Holt Ltd, Licensed Rectifiers." When it had lumbered past on its +way to the city, Hunt called to the driver and ordered him to follow +it. + +The chase led to the heart of the town, ending in a street which ran +parallel to the Humber Dock. There the big machine turned in to an +entry. + +"The Anchor Bar," Hunt said, in satisfied tones. "We're in luck. +It's one of the largest licensed houses in Hull." + +He jumped out and disappeared after the lorry, Willis following. +The vehicle had stopped in a yard at the back of the great public +house, where were more barrels than the inspector ever remembered +having seen together, while the smell of various liquors hung heavy +in the air. Hunt, having shown his credentials, demanded the +certificate for the consignment. This was immediately produced by +the driver, scrutinized, and found in order. Hunt then proceeded +to examine the consignment itself, and Willis was lost in admiration +at the rapidity as well as the thoroughness of his inspection. He +tested the nature of the various liquids, measured their receptacles, +took drippings in each cask, and otherwise satisfied himself as to +the quality and quantity. Finally he had a look over the lorry, +then expressing himself satisfied, he endorsed the certificate, and +with a few civil words to the men in charge, the two detectives +took their leave. + +"That's all square anyway," Hunt remarked, as they reentered their +taxi. "I suppose we may go and do the same thing again." + +They did. Three times more on that day, and four times on the next +day they followed Messrs. Ackroyd & Holt's lorries, in every +instance with the same result. All eight consignments were examined +with the utmost care, and all were found to be accurately described +on the accompanying certificate. The certificates themselves were +obviously genuine, and everything about them, so far as Hunt could +see, was in order. + +"Doesn't look as if we are going to get it that way," he commented, +as late that second evening they sat once more discussing matters in +their private sitting-room. + +"Don't you think you have frightened them into honesty by our +persistence?" Willis queried. + +"No doubt," the other returned. "But that couldn't apply to the +first few trips. They couldn't possibly have foretold that we +should examine those consignments yesterday, and today I expect +they thought their visitation was over. But we have worked it as +far as it will go. We shall have to change our methods." + +The inspector looked his question and Hunt continued: + +"I think tomorrow I had better go out to the works and have a +look over these certificate blocks. But I wonder if it would be +well for you to come? Archer has seen you in that hotel lounge, +and at all events he has your description." + +"I shall not go," Willis decided. "See you when you get back." + +Hunt, after showing his credentials, was received with civility at +Messrs. Ackroyd & Holt's. When he had completed the usual +examination of their various apparatus he asked for certain books. +He took them to a desk, and sitting down, began to study the +certificate blocks. + +His first care was to compare the list of outward lorries which he +and Willis had made with the blocks for the same period. A short +investigation convinced him that here also everything was in order. +There was a certificate for every lorry which had passed out, and +not only so, but the number of the lorry, the day and hour at which +it left and the load were all correct so far as his observations +had enabled him to check them. It was clear that here also he had +drawn blank, and for the fiftieth time he wondered with a sort of +rueful admiration how the fraud was being worked. + +He was idly turning over the leaves of the blocks, gazing vacantly +at the lines of writing while he pondered his problem when his +attention was attracted to a slight difference of color in the ink +of an entry on one of the blocks. The consignment was a mixed one, +containing different kinds of spirituous liquors. The lowest entry +was for three twenty-five gallon kegs of French brandy. This entry +was slightly paler than the remain order. + +At first Hunt did not give the matter serious thought. The page had +evidently been blotted while the ink was wet, and the lower items +should therefore naturally be the fainter. But as he looked more +closely he saw that this explanation would not quite meet the case. +It was true that the lower two or three items above that of the +brandy grew gradually paler in proportion to their position down the +sheet, and to this rule Archer's signature at the bottom was no +exception. In these Hunt could trace the gradual fading of color +due to the use of blotting paper. But he now saw that this did not +apply to the brandy entry. It was the palest of all - paler even +than Archer's name, which was below it. + +He sat staring at the sheet, whistling softly through his teeth and +with his brow puckered into a frown, as he wondered whether the +obvious SUGGESTION that the brandy item had been added after the +sheet had been completed, was a sound deduction. He could think of +no other explanation, but he was loath to form a definite opinion +on such slight evidence. + +He turned back through the blocks to see if they contained other +similar instances, and as he did so his interest grew. Quite a +number of the pages referring to mixed consignment had for their +last item kegs of French brandy. He scrutinized these entries with +the utmost care. A few seemed normal enough, but others showed +indications which strengthened his suspicions. In three more the +ink was undoubtedly paler than the remainder of the sheet, in five +it was darker, while in several others the handwriting appeared +slightly different - more upright, more sloping, more heavily or +more lightly leaned on. When Hunt had examined all the instances +he could find stretching over a period of three months, he was +convinced that his deduction was correct. The brandy items had +been written at a different time from the remainder, and this could +only mean that they had been added after the certificate was +complete. + +His interest at last keenly aroused, he began to make an analysis +of the blocks in question in the hope of finding some other +peculiarity common to them which might indicate the direction in +which the solution might lie. + +And first as to the consignees. Ackroyd & Holt evidently supplied +a very large number of licensed houses, but of these the names of +only five appeared on the doubtful blocks. But these five were +confined to houses in Hull, and each was a large and important +concern. + +"So far, so good," thought Hunt, with satisfaction. "If they're +not planting their stuff in those five houses, I'm a Dutchman!" + +He turned back to the blocks and once again went through them. This +time he made an even more suggestive discovery. Only one lorry-man +was concerned in the transport of the doubtful consignments. All +the lorries in question had been in charge of a driver called +Charles Fox. + +Hunt remembered the man. He had driven three of the eight lorries +Hunt himself had examined, and he had been most civil when stopped, +giving the investigator all possible assistance in making his +inspection. Nor had he at any time betrayed embarrassment. And +now it seemed not improbable that this same man was one of those +concerned in the fraud. + +Hunt applied himself once again to a study of the blocks, and then +he made a third discovery, which, though he could not at first see +its drift, struck him nevertheless as being of importance. He found +that the faked block was always one of a pair. Within a few pages +either in front of or behind it was another block containing +particulars of a similar consignment, identical, in fact, except +that the brandy item was missing. + +Hunt was puzzled. That he was on the track of the fraud he could +not but believe, but he could form no idea as to how it was worked. +If he were right so far, the blocks had been made out in facsimile +in the first instance, and later the brandy item had been added to +one of each pair. Why? He could not guess. + +He continued his examination, and soon another INTERESTING fact +became apparent. Though consignments left the works at all hours +of the day, those referred to by the first one of each between the +hours of four and five. Further, the number of minutes past one +and past four were always identical on each pair. That showed the +brandy item was nearly always the later of the two, but occasionally +the stuff had gone with the one o'clock trip. + +Hunt sat in the small office, of which he had been given undisturbed +possession, pondering over his problem and trying to marshal the +facts that he had learned in such a way as to extract their inner +meaning. As far as he could follow them they seemed to show that +three times each day driver Charles Fox took a lorry of various +liquors into Hull. The first trip was irregular, that is, he left +at anything between seven-thirty and ten-thirty a.m., and his +objective extended over the entire city. The remaining two trips +were regular. Of these the first always left between one and two +and the second the same number of minutes past four; both were +invariably to the same one of the five large tied houses already +mentioned; the load of each was always identical except that one + - generally the second - had some kegs of brandy additional, and, +lastly, the note of this extra brandy appeared always to have been +added to the certificate after the latter had been made out. + +Hunt could make nothing of it. In the evening he described his +discoveries to Willis, and the two men discussed the affair +exhaustively, though still without result. + +That night Hunt could not sleep. He lay tossing from side to side +and racking his brains to find a solution. He felt subconsciously +that it was within his reach, and yet he could not grasp it. + +It was not far from dawn when a sudden idea flashed into his mind, +and he lay thrilled with excitement as he wondered if at last he +held the clue to the mystery. He went over the details in his mind, +and the more he thought over his theory the more likely it seemed +to grow. + +But bow was he to test it? Daylight had come before he saw his way; +but at last he was satisfied, and at breakfast he told Willis his +idea and asked his help to carry out his plan. + +"You're not a photographer, by any chance?" he asked. + +"I'm not A1, but I dabble a bit at it." + +"Good. That will save some trouble." + +They called at a photographic outfitter's, and there, after making +a deposit, succeeded in hiring two large-size Kodaks for the day. +With these and a set of climbing irons they drove out along the +Ferriby road, arriving at the end of the lane to the works shortly +after midday. There they dismissed their taxi. + +As soon as they were alone their actions became somewhat bewildering +to the uninitiated. Along one side of the road ran a seven-foot +wall bounding the plantation of a large villa. Over this Willis, +with the help of his friend, clambered. With some loose stones he +built himself a footing at the back, so that he could just look over +the top. Then having focused his camera for the middle of the road, +he retired into obscurity behind his defences. + +His friend settled to his satisfaction, Hunt buckled on the climbing +irons, and crossing the road, proceeded to climb a telegraph pole +which stood opposite the lane. He fixed his camera to the lower +wires - carefully avoiding possible short-circuitings - and having +focused it for the center of the road, pulled a pair of pliers from +his pocket and endeavored to simulate, the actions of a lineman at +work. By the time these preparations were complete it was close on +one o'clock. + +Some half-hour later a large blue lorry came in sight bearing down +along the lane. Presently Hunt was able to see that the driver was +Fox. He made a prearranged sign to his accomplice behind the wall, +and the latter, camera in hand, stood up and peeped over. As the +big vehicle swung slowly round into the main road both men from +their respective positions photographed it. Hunt, indeed, rapidly +changing the film, took a second view as the machine retreated down +the road towards Hull. + +When it was out of sight, Hunt descended and with some difficulty +climbed the wall to his colleague. There in the shade of the thick +belt of trees both men lay down and smoked peacefully until nearly +four o'clock. Then once more they took up their respective +positions, watched until about half an hour later the lorry again +passed out and photographed it precisely as before. That done, they +walked to Hassle station, and took the first train to Hull. + +By dint of baksheesh they persuaded the photographer to develop +their films there and then, and that same evening they had six +prints. + +As it happened they turned out exceedingly good photographs. Their +definition was excellent, and each view included the whole of the +lorry. The friends found, as Hunt had hoped and intended, that +owing to the height from which the views had been taken, each +several keg of the load showed out distinctly. They counted them. +Each picture showed seventeen. + +"You see?" cried Hunt triumphantly. "The same amount of stuff went +out on each load! We shall have them now, Willis!" + +Next day Hunt returned to Ferriby works ostensibly to continue his +routine inspection. But in three minutes he had seen what he wanted. +Taking the certificate book, he looked up the blocks of the two +consignments they had photographed, and he could have laughed aloud +in his exultation as he saw that what he had suspected was indeed +the fact. The two certificates were identical except that to the +second an item of four kegs of French brandy had been added! Hunt +counted the barrels. The first certificate showed thirteen and the +last seventeen. + +"Four kegs of brandy smuggled out under our noses yesterday," he +thought delightedly. "By Jove! but it's a clever trick. Now to +test the next point" + +He made an excuse for leaving the works, and returning to Hull, +called at the licensed house to which the previous afternoon's +consignment had been dispatched. There he asked to see the +certificates of the two trips. On seeing his credentials these were +handed up without demur, and he withdrew with them to his hotel. + +"Come," he cried to Willis, who was reading in the lounge, "and see +the final act in the drama." + +They retired to their private room, and there Hunt spread the two +certificates on the table. Both men stared at them, and Hunt gave +vent to a grunt of satisfaction. + +"I was right," he cried delightedly. "Look here! Why I can see it +with the naked eye!" + +The two certificates were an accurate copy of their blocks. They +were dated correctly, both bore Fox's name as driver, and both +showed consignments of liquor, identical except for the additional +four kegs of brandy on the second. There was, furthermore, no sign +that this had been added after the remainder. The slight lightening +in the color towards the bottom of the sheet, due to the use of +blotting paper, was so progressive as almost to prove the whole had +been written at the same time. + +The first certificate was timed 1.15 p.m., the second 4.15 p.m., and +it was to the 4 of this second hour that Hunt's eager finger pointed. +As Willis examined it he saw that the lower strokes were fainter than +the remainder. Further, the beginning of the horizontal stroke did +not quite join the first vertical stroke. + +"You see?" Hunt cried excitedly. "That figure is a forgery. It was +originally a 1, and the two lower strokes have been added to make it +a 4. The case is finished!" + +Willis was less enthusiastic. + +"I'm not so sure of that," he returned cautiously. "I don't see +light all the way through. Just go over it again, will you?" + +"Why to me it's as clear as daylight," the other asserted impatiently. +"See here. Archer decides, let us suppose, that he will send out four +kegs, or one hundred gallons, of the smuggled brandy to the Anchor Bar. +What does he do? He fills out certificates for two consignments each +of which contains an identical assortment of various liquors. The +brandy he shows on one certificate only. The blocks are true copies of +the certificates except that the brandy is not entered on either. The +two blocks he times for a quarter past one and past four respectively, +but both certificates he times for a quarter past one. He hands the +two certificates to Fox. Then he sends out on the one o'clock lorry +the amount of brandy shown on one of the certificates." + +Hunt paused and looked interrogatively at his friend, then, the latter +not replying, he resumed: + +"You follow now the position of affairs? In the office is Archer with +his blocks, correctly filled out as to time but neither showing the +brandy. On the one o'clock lorry is Fox, with one hundred gallons of +brandy among his load. In his pocket are the two certificates, both +timed for one o'clock, one showing the brandy and the other not." + +The inspector nodded as Hunt again looked at him. + +"Now suppose," the latter went on, "that the one o'clock lorry gets +through to its destination unchallenged, and the stuff is unloaded. +The manager arranges that the four kegs of brandy will disappear. He +takes over the certificate which does not show brandy, signs it, and +the transaction is complete. Everything is in order, and he has got +four kegs smuggled in." + +"Good," Willis interjected. + +"On the other hand, suppose the one o'clock trip is held up by an +exciseman. This time Fox produces the other certificate, the one which +shows the brandy. Once again everything is in order, and the Excise +officer satisfied. It is true that on this occasion Fox has been unable +to smuggle out his brandy, and on that which he carries duty must be +paid, but this rare contingency will not matter to him as long as his +method of fraud remains concealed." + +"Seems very sound so far." + +"I think so. Let us now consider the four o'clock trip. Fox +arrives back at the works with one of the two certificates still +in his pocket, and the make up of his four o'clock load depends on +which it is. He attempts no more smuggling that day. If his +remaining certificate shows brandy he carries brandy, if not, he +leaves it behind. In either case his certificate is in order if an +Excise officer holds him up. That is, when he has at tended to one +little point. He has to add two strokes to the 1 of the hour to +make it into a 4. The ease of doing this explains why these two +hours were chosen. Is that all clear?" + +"Clear, indeed, except for the one point of how the brandy item is +added to the correct block." + +"Obviously Archer does that as soon as he learns how the first trip +has got on. If the brandy was smuggled out on the first trip, it +means that Fox is holding the brandy-bearing certificate for the +second, and Archer enters brandy on his second block. If, on the +contrary, Fox has had his first load examined, Archer will make his +entry on the first block." + +"The scheme," Willis declared, "really means this. If Archer wants +to smuggle out one hundred gallons of brandy, he has to send out +another hundred legitimately on the same day? If he can manage to +send out two hundred altogether then one hundred will be duty clear, +but in any case he must pay on one hundred?" + +"That's right. It works out like that." + +"It's a great scheme. The only weak point that I can see is that +an Excise officer who has held up one of the trips might visit the +works and look at the certificate block before Archer gets it +altered." + +Hunt nodded. + +"I thought of that," he said, "and it can be met quite easily. I +bet the manager telephones Archer on receipt of the stuff. I am +going into that now. I shall have a note kept at the Central of +conversations to Ferriby. If Archer doesn't get a message by a +certain time, I bet he assumes the plan has miscarried for that day +and fills in the brandy on the first block." + +During the next two days Hunt was able to establish the truth of his +surmise. At the same time Willis decided that his co-operation in +the work at Hull was no longer needed. For Hunt there was still +plenty to be done. He had to get direct evidence against each +severally of the managers of the five tied houses in question, as +well as to ascertain how and to whom they were passing on the +"stuff," for that they were receiving more brandy than could be sold +over their own counters was unquestionable. But he agreed with +Willis that these five men were more than likely in ignorance of the +main conspiracy, each having only a private understanding with Archer. +But whether or not this was so, Willis did not believe he could get +any evidence that they were implicated in the murder of Coburn. + +The French end of the affair, he thought, the supply of the brandy +in the first instance, was more promising from this point of view, +and the next morning he took an early train to London as a +preliminary to starting work in France. + + + +CHAPTER 18 + +THE BORDEAUX LORRIES + + +Two days later Inspector Willis sat once again in the office of M. +Max, the head of the French Excise Department in Paris. The +Frenchman greeted him politely, but without enthusiasm. + +"Ah, monsieur," he said, "you have not received my letter? No? I +wrote to your department yesterday." + +"It hadn't come, sir, when I left," Willis returned. "But perhaps +if it is something I should know, you could tell me the contents?" + +"But certainly, monsieur. It is easily done. A thousand regrets, +but I fear my department will not be of much service to you." + +"No, sir?" Willis looked his question. + +"I fear not. But I shall explain," M. Max gesticulated as he talked. +"After your last visit here I send two of my men to Bordeaux. They +make examination, but at first they see nothing suspicious. When +the Girondin comes in they determine to test your idea of the brandy +loading. They go in a boat to the wharf at night. They pull in +between the rows of piles. They find the spaces between the tree +trunks which you have described. They know there must be a cellar +behind. They hide close by; they see the porthole lighted up; they +watch the pipe go in, all exactly as you have said. There can be +no doubt brandy is secretly loaded at the Lesque." + +"It seemed the likely thing, sir," Willis commented. + +"Ah, but it was good to think of. I wish to congratulate you on +finding it out." M. Max made a little bow. "But to continue. My +men wonder how the brandy reaches the sawmill. Soon they think +that the lorries must bring it. They think so for two reasons. +First, they can find no other way. The lorries are the only +vehicles which approach; nothing goes by water; there cannot be a +tunnel, because there is no place for the other end. There remains +only the lorries. Second, they think it is the lorries because the +drivers change the numbers. It is suspicious, is it not? Yes? +You understand me?" + +"Perfectly, sir." + +"Good. My men then watch the lorries. They get help from the +police at Bordeaux. They find the firewood trade is a nothing." +M. Max shrugged his shoulders. "There are five firms to which the +lorries go, and of the five, four - " His gesture indicated a +despair too deep for words. "To serve them, it is but a blind; so +my men think. But the fifth firm, it is that of Raymond Fils, one +of the biggest distilleries of Bordeaux. That Raymond Fils are +sending out the brandy suggests itself to my men. At last the +affair marches." + +M.Max paused, and Willis bowed to signify his appreciation of the +point. + +"My men visit Raymond Fils. They search into everything. They find +the law is not broken. All is in order. They are satisfied." + +"But, sir, if these people are smuggling brandy into England - " +Willis was beginning when the other interrupted him. + +"But yes, monsieur, I grasp your point. I speak of French law; it +is different from yours. Here duty is not charged on just so much +spirit as is distilled. We grant the distiller a license, and it +allows him to distill any quantity up to the figure the license +bears. But, monsieur, Raymond Fils are - how do you say it? - well +within their limit? Yes? They do not break the French law." + +"Therefore, sir, you mean you cannot help further?" + +"My dear monsieur, what would you? I have done my best for you. +I make inquiries. The matter is not for me. With the most excellent +wish to assist, what more can I?" + +Willis, realizing he could get no more, rose. + +"Nothing, sir, except to accept on my own part and that of my +department our hearty thanks for what you have done. I can assure +you, sir, I quite understand your position, and I greatly appreciate +your kindness." + +M. Max also had risen. He politely repeated his regrets, and with +mutual compliments the two men parted. + +Willis had once spent a holiday in Paris, and he was slightly +acquainted with the city. He strolled on through the busy streets, +brilliant in the pa1e autumn sunlight, until he reached the Grands +Boulevards. There entering a caf‚, he sat down, called for a bock, +and settled himself to consider his next step. + +The position created by M. Max's action was disconcerting. Willis +felt himself stranded, literally a stranger in a strange land, sent +to carry out an investigation among a people whose language he +could not even speak! He saw at once that his task was impossible. +He must have local help or he could proceed no further. + +He thought of his own department. The Excise had failed him. What +about the Surete? + +But a very little thought convinced him that he was even less likely +to obtain help from this quarter. He could only base an appeal on +the possibility of a future charge of conspiracy to murder, and he +realized that the evidence for that was too slight to put forward +seriously. + +What was to be done? So far as he could see, but one thing. He +must employ a private detective. This plan would meet the language +difficulty by which he was so completely hung up. + +He went to a call office and got his chief at the Yard on the long +distance wire. The latter approved his SUGGESTION, and recommended +M. Jules Laroche of the Rue du Sommerard near the Sorbonne. Half +an hour later Willis reached the house. + +M. Laroche proved to be a tall, unobtrusive-looking man of some +five-and-forty, who had lived in London for some years and spoke as +good English as Willis himself. He listened quietly and without +much apparent interest to what his visitor had to tell him, then +said he would be glad to take on the job. + +"We had better go to Bordeaux this evening, so as to start fresh +tomorrow," Willis suggested. + +"Two o'clock at the d'Orsay station," the other returned. "We have +just time. We can settle our plans in the train." + +They reached the St Jean station at Bordeaux at 10.35 that night, +and drove to the Hotel d'Espagne. They had decided that they could +do nothing until the following evening, when they would go out to +the clearing and see what a search of the mill premises might reveal. + +Next morning Laroche vanished, saying he had friends in the town +whom he wished to look up, and it was close on dinner-time before +he put in an appearance. + +"I have got some information that may help," he said, as Willis +greeted him. "Though I'm not connected with the official force, we +are very good friends and have worked into each other's hands. I +happen to know one of the officers of the local police, and he got +me the information. It seems that a M. Pierre Raymond is practically +the owner of Raymond Fils, the distillers you mentioned. He is a +man of about thirty, and the son of one of the original brothers. +He was at one time comfortably off, and lived in a pleasant villa in +the suburbs. But latterly he has been going the pace, and within the +last two years he let his villa and bought a tiny house next door to +the distillery, where he is now living. It is believed his money +went at Monte Carlo, indeed it seems he is a wrong 'un all round. +At all events he is known to be hard up now." + +"And you think he moved in so that he could load up that brandy at +night?" + +"That's what I think," Laroche admitted. "You see, there is the +motive for it as well. He wouldn't join the syndicate unless he +was in difficulties. I fancy M. Pierre Raymond will be an +INTERESTING study." + +Willis nodded. The SUGGESTION was worth investigation, and he +congratulated himself on getting hold of so excellent a colleague +as this Laroche seemed to be. + +The Frenchman during the day had hired a motor bicycle and sidecar, +and as dusk began to fall the two men left their hotel and ran out +along the Bayonne road until they reached the Lesque. There they +hid their vehicle behind some shrubs, and reaching the end of the +lane, turned down it. + +It was pitch dark among the trees, and they had some difficulty in +keeping the track until they reached the clearing. There a quarter +moon rendered objects dimly visible, and Willis at once recognized +his surroundings from the description he had received from Hilliard +and Merriman. + +"You see, somebody is in the manager's house," he whispered, pointing +to a light which gleamed in the window. "If Henri has taken over +Coburn's job he may go down to the mill as Coburn did. Hadn't we +better wait and see?" + +The Frenchman agreeing, they moved round the fringe of trees at the +edge of the clearing, just as Merriman had done on a similar occasion +some seven weeks earlier, and as they crouched in the shelter of a +clump of bushes in front of the house, they might have been +interested to know that it was from these same shrubs that that +disconsolate sentimentalist had lain dreaming of his lady love, and +from which he had witnessed her father's stealthy journey to the mill. + +It was a good deal colder tonight than on that earlier occasion when +watch was kept on the lonely house. The two men shivered as they +drew their collars higher round their necks, and crouched down to get +shelter from the bitter wind. They had resigned themselves to a +weary vigil, during which they dared not even smoke. + +But they had not to wait so long after all. About ten the light +went out in the window and not five minutes later they saw a man +appear at the side door and walk towards the mill. They could not +see his features, though Willis assumed he was Henri. Twenty minutes +later they watched him return, and then all once more was still. + +"We had better give him an hour to get to bed," Willis whispered. +"If he were to look out it wouldn't do for him to see two detectives +roaming about his beloved clearing." + +"We might go at eleven," Laroche proposed, and so they did. + +Keeping as much as possible in the shelter of the bushes, they +approached the mill. Willis had got a sketch-plan of the building +from Merriman, and he moved round to the office door. His bent +wire proved as efficacious with French locks as with English, and +in a few moments they stood within, with the door shut behind them. + +"Now," said Willis, carefully shading the beam of his electric torch, +"let's see those lorries first of all." + +As has already been stated, the garage was next to the office, and +passing through the communicating door, the two men found five of +the ponderous vehicles therein. A moment's examination of the +number plates showed that on all the machines the figures were +separate from the remainder of the lettering, being carried on +small brass plates which dropped vertically into place through slots +in the main castings. But the joint at each side of the number was +not conspicuous because similar vertical lines were cut into the +brass between each letter of the whole legend. + +"That's good," Laroche observed. "Make a thing unnoticeable by +multiplying it!" + +Of the five lorries, two were loaded with firewood and three empty. +The men moved round examining them with their torches. + +"Hallo," Laroche called suddenly in a low voice, "what have we here, +Willis?" + +The inspector crossed over to the other, who was pointing to the +granolithic floor in front of him. One of the empty lorries was +close to the office wall, and the Frenchman stood between the two. +On the floor were three drops of some liquid. + +"Can you smell them?" he inquired. + +Willis knelt down and sniffed, then slowly got up again. + +"Good man," he said, with a trace of excitement in his manner. "It's +brandy right enough." + +"Yes," returned the other. "Security has made our nocturnal friend +careless. The stuff must have come from this lorry, I fancy." + +They turned to the vehicle and examined it eagerly. For some time +they could see nothing remarkable, but presently it gave up its +secret The deck was double! Beneath it was a hollow space some six +feet by nine long, and not less than three inches deep. And not +only so. This hollow space was continued up under the unusually +large and wide driver's seat, save for a tiny receptacle for petrol. +In a word the whole top of the machine was a vast secret tank. + +The men began measuring and calculating, and they soon found that +no less than one hundred and fifty gallons of liquid could be +carried therein. + +"One hundred and fifty gallons of brandy per trip!" Willis ejaculated. +"Lord! It's no wonder they make it pay." + +They next tackled the problem of how the tank was filled and emptied, +and at last their perseverance was rewarded. Behind the left trailing +wheel, under the framing, was a small hinged door about six inches +square and fastened by a spring operated by a mock rivet head. This +being opened, revealed a cavity containing a pipe connected to the +tank and fitted with a stop-cock and the half of a union coupling. + +"The pipe which connects with that can't be far away," Laroche +suggested. "We might have a look round for it." + +The obvious place was the wall of the office, which ran not more +than three feet from the vehicle. It was finished with vertical +tongued and V-jointed sheeting, and a comparatively short search +revealed the loose board the detectives were by this time expecting. +Behind it was concealed a pipe, jointed concertina-wise, and ending +in the other half of the union coupling. It was evident the joints +would allow the half coupling to be pulled out and connected with +that on the lorry. The pipe ran down through the floor, showing +that the lorry could be emptied by gravity. + +"A good safe scheme," Laroche commented. "If I had seen that +lorry a hundred times I should never have suspected a tank. It's +well designed." + +They turned to examine the other vehicles. All four were identical +in appearance with the first, but all were strictly what they +seemed, containing no secret receptacle. + +"Merriman said they had six lorries," Willis remarked. "I wonder +where the sixth is." + +"At the distillery, don't you think?" the Frenchman returned. +"Those drops prove that manager fellow has just been unloading this +one. I expect he does it every night. But if so, Raymond must +load a vehicle every night too." + +"That's true. We may assume the job is done every night, because +Merriman watched Coburn come down here three nights running. It +was certainly to unload the lorry." + +"Doubtless; and he probably came at two in the morning on account +of his daughter." + +"That means there are two tank lorries," Willis went on, continuing +his own line of thought. "I say, Laroche, let's mark this one so +that we may know it again." + +They made tiny scratches on the paint at each corner of the big +vehicle, then Willis turned back to the office. + +"I'd like to find that cellar while we're here," he remarked. "We +know there is a cellar, for those Customs men saw the Girondin +loaded from it. We might have a look round for the entrance." + +Then ensued a search similar to that which Willis had carried out +in the depot at Ferriby, except that in this case they found what +they were looking for in a much shorter time. In the office was a +flat roll-topped desk, with the usual set of drawers at each side +of the central knee well, and when Willis found it was clamped to +the floor he felt he need go no further. On the ground in the +knee well, and projecting out towards the revolving chair in front, +was a mat. Willis raised it, and at once observed a joint across +the boards where in ordinary circumstances no joint should be. +He fumbled and pressed and pulled, and in a couple of minutes he +had the satisfaction of seeing the floor under the well rise and +reveal the head of a ladder leading down into the darkness below. + +"Here we are," he called softly to Laroche, who was searching at +the other side of the room. + +The cellar into which the two detectives descended was lined with +timber like that at Ferriby. Indeed the two were identical, except +that only one passage - that under the wharf - led out of this one. +It contained a similar large tun with a pipe leading down the +passage under the wharf, on which was a pump. The only difference +was in the connection of the pipes. At Ferriby the pump conveyed +from the wharf to the tun, here it was from the tun to the wharf. +The pipe from the garage came down through the ceiling and ran direct +into the tun. + +The two men walked down the passage towards the river. Here also +the arrangement was the same as at Ferriby, and they remained only +long enough for Willis to point out to the Frenchman how the loading +apparatus was worked. + +"Well," said the former, as they returned to the office, "that's +not so bad for one day. I suppose it's all we can do here. If we +can learn as much at that distillery we shall soon have all we want." + +Laroche pointed to a chair. + +"Sit down a moment," he invited. "I have been thinking over that +plan we discussed in the train, of searching the distillery at +night, and I don't like it. There are too many people about, and +we are nearly certain to be seen. It's quite different from +working a place like this." + +"Quite," Willis answered rather testily. "I don't like it either, +but what can we do?" + +"I'll tell you what I should do." Laroche leaned forward and +checked his points on his fingers. "That lorry had just been +unloaded. It's empty now, and if our theory is correct it will +be taken to the distillery tomorrow and left there over-night to +be filled up again. Isn't that so?" + +Willis nodded impatiently and the other went on: + +"Now, it is clear that no one can fill up that tank without leaving +finger-prints on the pipe connections in that secret box. Suppose +we clean those surfaces now, and suppose we come back here the +night after tomorrow, before the man here unloads, we could get the +prints of the person who filled up in the distillery." + +"Well," Willis asked sharply, "and how would that help us?" + +"This way. Tomorrow you will be an English distiller with a forest +you could get cheap near your works. You have an idea of running +your stills on wood fires. You naturally call to see how M. Raymond +does it, and you get shown over his works. You have prepared a plan +of your proposals. You hand it to him when he can't put it down on +a desk. He holds it between his fingers and thumb, and eventually +returns it to you. You go home and use powder. You have his +finger-prints. You compare the two sets." + +Willis was impressed. The plan was simple, and it promised to gain +for them all the information they required without recourse to a +hazardous nocturnal visit to the distillery. But he wished he had +thought of it himself. + +"We might try it," he admitted, without enthusiasm. "It couldn't +do much harm anyway." + +They returned to the garage, opened the secret lid beneath the lorry, +and with a cloth moistened with petrol cleaned the fittings. Then +after a look round to make sure that nothing had been disturbed, +they let themselves out of the shed, regained the lane and their +machine, and some forty minutes later were in Bordeaux. + +On reconsideration they decided that as Raymond might have obtained +Willis's description from Captain Beamish, it would be wiser for +Laroche to visit the distillery. Next morning, therefore, the +latter bought a small writing block, and taking an inside leaf, +which he carefully avoided touching with his hands, he drew a +cross-section of a wood-burning fire-box copied from an illustration +in a book of reference in the city library, at the same time reading +up the subject so as to be able to talk on it without giving himself +away. Then he set out on his mission. + +In a couple of hours he returned. + +"Got that all right," he exclaimed, as he rejoined the inspector. +"I went and saw the fellow; said I was going to start a distillery +in the Ardennes where there was plenty of wood, and wanted to see +his plant. He was very civil, and took me round and showed me +everything. There is a shed there above the still furnaces with +hoppers for the firewood to go down, and in it was standing the +lorry - the lorry, I saw our marks on the corner. It was loaded +with firewood, and he explained that it would be emptied last thing +before the day-shift left, so as to do the stills during the night. +Well, I got a general look round the concern, and I found that the +large tuns which contain the finished brandy were just at the back +of the wall of the shed where the lorry was standing. So it is +easy to see what happens. Evidently there is a pipe through the +wall, and Raymond comes down at night and fills up the lorry." + +"And did you get his finger-prints?" + +"Have 'em here." + +Locking the door of their private room, Laroche took from his pocket +the sketch he had made. + +"He held this up quite satisfactorily," he went on, "and there +should be good prints." + +Willis had meanwhile spread a newspaper on the table and taken +from his suitcase a small bottle of powdered lamp-black and a +camel's-hair brush. Laying the sketch on the newspaper he gently +brushed some of the black powder over it, blowing off the surplus. +To the satisfaction of both men, there showed up near the left +bottom corner the distinct mark of a left thumb. + +"Now the other side." + +Willis turned the paper and repeated the operation on the back. +There he got prints of a left fore and second finger. + +"Excellent, clear prints, those," Willis commented, continuing: +"And now I have something to tell you. While you were away I have +been thinking over this thing, and I believe I've got an idea." + +Laroche looked interested, and the other went on slowly: + +"There are two brandy-carrying lorries. Every night one of these +lies at the distillery and the other at the clearing; one is being +loaded and the other unloaded; and every day the two change places. +Now we may take it that neither of those lorries is sent to any +other place in the town, lest the brandy tanks might be discovered. +For the same reason, they probably only make the one run mentioned +per day. Is that right so far?" + +"I should think so," Laroche replied cautiously. + +"Very well. Let us suppose these two lorries are Nos. 1 and 2. +No. 1 goes to the distillery say every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, +and returns on the other three days, while No. 2 does vice versa, +one trip each day remember. And this goes on day after day, week +after week, month after month. Now is it too much to assume that +sooner or later someone is bound to notice this - some worker at +the clearing or the distillery, some policeman on his beat, some +clerk at a window over-looking the route? And if anyone notices +it will he not wonder why it always happens that these two lorries +go to this one place and to no other, while the syndicate has six +lorries altogether trading into the town? And if this observer +should mention his discovery to someone who could put two and two +together, suspicion might be aroused, investigation undertaken, +and presently the syndicate is up a tree. Now do you see what +I'm getting at?" + +Laroche had been listening eagerly, and now he made a sudden +gesture. + +"But of course!" he cried delightedly. "The changing of the +numbers!" + +"The changing of the numbers," Willis repeated. "At least, it +looks like that to me. No. 1 does the Monday run to the distillery. +They change the number plate, and No. 4 does it on Wednesday, while +No. 1 runs to some other establishment, where it can be freely +examined by anyone who is interested. How does it strike you?" + +"You have got it. You have certainly got it." Laroche was more +enthusiastic than the inspector had before seen him. "It's what +you call a cute scheme, quite on par with the rest of the business. +They didn't leave much to chance, these! And yet it was this very +precaution that gave them away." + +"No doubt, but that was an accident." + +"You can't," said the Frenchman sententiously, "make anything +completely watertight." + +The next night they went out to the clearing, and as soon as it was +dark once more entered the shed. There with more powder - white this +time-they tested the tank lorry for finger-marks. As they had hoped, +there were several on the secret fittings, among others a clear print +of a left thumb on the rivet head of the spring. + +A moment's examination only was necessary. The prints were those of +M. Pierre Raymond. + +Once again Inspector Willis felt that he ought to have completed his +case, and once again second thoughts showed him that he was as far +away from that desired end as ever. He had been trying to find +accomplices in the murder of Coburn, and by a curious perversity, +instead of finding them he had bit by bit solved the mystery of the +Pit-Prop Syndicate. He had shown, firstly, that they were smuggling +brandy, and, secondly, how they were doing it. For that he would no +doubt get a reward, but such was not his aim. What he wanted was to +complete his own case and get the approval of his own superiors and +bring promotion nearer. And in this he had failed. + +For hours he pondered over the problem, then suddenly an idea which +seemed promising flashed into his mind. He thought it over with +the utmost care, and finally decided that in the absence of +something better he must try it. + +In the morning the two men travelled to Paris, and Willis, there +taking leave of his colleague, crossed to London, and an hour later +was with his chief at the Yard. + + +CHAPTER 19 + +WILLIS SPREADS HIS NET + + +Though Inspector Willis had spent so much time out of London in his +following up of the case, he had by no means lost sight of Madeleine +Coburn and Merriman. The girl, he knew, was still staying with her +aunt at EASTBOURNE, and the local police authorities, from whom he +got his information, believed that her youth and health were +reasserting themselves, and that she was rapidly recovering from +the shock of her father's tragic death. Merriman haunted the town. +He practically lived at the George, going up and down daily to his +office, and spending as many of his evenings and his Sundays at Mrs. +Luttrell's as he dared. + +But though the young man had worn himself almost to a shadow by his +efforts, he felt that the realization of his hopes was as far off as +ever. Madeleine had told him that she would not marry him until the +mystery of her father's murder was cleared up and the guilty parties +brought to justice, and he was becoming more and more afraid that +she would keep her word. In vain he implored her to consider the +living rather than the dead, and not to wreck his life and her own +for what, after all, was but a sentiment. + +But though she listened to his entreaties and was always kind and +gentle, she remained inflexible in her resolve. Merriman felt that +his only plan, failing the discovery of Mr. Coburn's assassin, was +unobtrusively to keep as much as possible in her company, in the +hope that she would grow accustomed to his presences and perhaps in +time come to need it. + +Under these circumstances his anxiety as to the progress of the case +was very great, and on several occasions he had written to Willis +asking him how his inquiry was going on. But the inspector had not +been communicative, and Merriman had no idea how matters actually +stood. + +It was therefore with feelings of pleasurable anticipation that he +received a telephone call from Willis at Scotland Yard. + +"I have just returned from Bordeaux," the inspector said, "and I +am anxious to have a chat with Miss Coburn on some points that have +arisen. I should be glad of your presence also, if possible. Can +you arrange an interview?" + +"Do you want her to come to town?" + +"Not necessarily; I will go to EASTBOURNE if more convenient. But +our meeting must be kept strictly secret. The syndicate must not +get to know." + +Merriman felt excitement and hope rising within him. + +"Better go to EASTBOURNE then," he advised. "Come down with me +tonight by the 5.20 from Victoria." + +"No," Willis answered, "we mustn't be seen together. I shall meet +you at the corner of the Grand Parade and Carlisle Road at nine +o'clock." + +This being agreed on, both men began to make their arrangements. +In Merriman's case these consisted in throwing up his work at the +office and taking the first train to EASTBOURNE. At five o'clock +he was asking for Miss Coburn at Mrs. Luttrell's door. + +"Dear Madeleine," he said, when he had told her his news, "you must +not begin to expect things. It may mean nothing at all. Don't +build on it." + +But soon he had made her as much excited as he was himself. He +stayed for dinner, leaving shortly before nine to keep his +appointment with Willis. Both men were to return to the house, +when Madeleine would see them alone. + +Inspector Willis did not travel by Merriman's train. Instead he +caught the 5.35 to Brighton, dined there, and then slipping out of +the hotel, motored over to EASTBOURNE. Dismissing his vehicle at +the Grand Hotel, he walked down the Parade and found Merriman at +the rendezvous. In ten minutes they were in Mrs. Luttrell's +drawing-room. + +"I am sorry, Miss Coburn," Willis began politely, "to intrude on +you in this way, but the fact is, I want your help and indirectly +the help of Mr. Merriman. But it is only fair, I think, to tell +you first what has transpired since we last met. I must warn you, +however, that I can only do so in the strictest confidence. No +whisper of what I am going to say must pass the lips of either of +you." + +"I promise," said Merriman instantly. + +"And I," echoed Madeleine. + +"I didn't require that assurance," Willis went on. "It is sufficient +that you understand the gravity of the situation. Well, after the +inquest I set to work," and he briefly related the story of his +investigations in London and in Hull, his discoveries at Ferriby, +his proof that Archer was the actual murderer, the details of the +smuggling organization and, finally, his suspicion that the other +members of the syndicate were privy to Mr. Coburn's death, together +with his failure to prove it. + +His two listeners heard him with eager attention, in which interest +in his story was mingled with admiration of his achievement. + +"So Hilliard was right about the brandy after all!" Merriman +exclaimed. He deserves some credit for that. I think he believed +in it all the time, in spite of our conclusion that we had proved +it impossible. By Jove! How you can be had!" + +Willis turned to him. + +"Don't be disappointed about your part in it, sir," he advised. "I +consider that you and Mr. Hilliard did uncommonly well. I may tell +you that I thought so much of your work that I checked nothing of +what you had done." + +Merriman colored with pleasure. + +"Jolly good of you to say so, I'm sure, inspector," he said; "but +I'm afraid most of the credit for that goes to Hilliard." + +"It was your joint work I was speaking of," Willis insisted. "But +now to get on to business. As I said, my difficulty is that I +suspect the members of the syndicate of complicity in Mr. Coburn's +death, but I can't prove it. I have thought out a plan which may +or may not produce this proof. It is in this that I want your help." + +"Mr. Inspector," cried Madeleine reproachfully, "need you ask for +it?" + +Willis laughed. + +"I don't think so. But I can't very well come in and command it, +you know." + +"Of course you can," Madeleine returned. "You know very well that +in such a cause Mr. Merriman and I would do anything." + +"I believe it, and I am going to put you to the test. I'll tell +you my idea. It has occurred to me that these people might be +made to give themselves away. Suppose they had one of their +private meetings to discuss the affairs of the syndicate, and that, +unknown to them, witnesses could be present to overhear what was +said. Would there not at least be a sporting chance that they +would incriminate themselves?" + +"Yes!" said Merriman, much interested. "Likely enough. But I +don't see how you could arrange that." + +Willis smiled slightly. + +"I think it might be managed," he answered. "If a meeting were to +take place we could easily learn where it was to be held and hear +what went on. But the first point is the difficulty - the question +of the holding of the meeting. In the ordinary course there might +be none for months. Therefore we must take steps to have one +summoned. And that," he turned to Madeleine, "is where I want +your help." + +His hearers stared, mystified, and Willis resumed. + +"Something must happen of such importance to the welfare of the +syndicate that the leaders will decide that a full conference of +the members is necessary. So far as I can see, you alone can +cause that something to happen. I will tell you how. But I must +warn you that I fear it will rake up painful memories. + +Madeleine, her lips parted, was hanging on his words. + +"Go on," she said quickly, "we have settled all that." + +"Thank you," said Willis, taking a sheet of paper from his pocket. +"I have here the draft of a letter which I want you to write to +Captain Beamish. You can phrase it as you like; in fact I want +it in your own words. Read it over and you will understand." + +The draft ran as follows: + + "SILVERDALE ROAD, + "EASTBOURNE. + +"DEAR CAPTAIN BEAMISH, - In going over some papers belonging to +my late father, I learn to my surprise that he was not a salaried +official of your syndicate, but a partner. It seems to me, +therefore, that as his heir I am entitled to his share of the +capital of the concern, or at all events to the interest on it. +I have to express my astonishment that no recognition of this fact +has as yet been made by the syndicate. + +"I may say that I have also come on some notes relative to the +business of the syndicate, which have filled me with anxiety and +dismay, but which I do not care to refer to in detail in writing. + +"I think I should like an interview with you to hear your +explanation of these two matters, and to discuss what action is +to be taken with regard to them. You could perhaps find it +convenient to call on me here, or I could meet you in London if +you preferred it. + + "Yours faithfully, + "MADELEINE COBURN." + +Madeleine made a grimace as she read this letter. + +"Oh," she cried, "but how could I do that? I didn't find any +notes, you know, and besides - it would be so dreadful - acting as +a decoy - " + +"There's something more important than that," Merriman burst in +indignantly. "Do you realize, Mr. Inspector, that if Miss Coburn +were to send that letter she would put herself in very real danger?" + +"Not at all," Willis answered quietly. "You have not heard my whole +scheme. My idea is that when Beamish gets that letter he will lay +it before Archer, and they will decide that they must find out what +Miss Coburn knows, and get her quieted about the money. They will +say: 'We didn't think she was that kind, but it's evident she is +out for what she can get. Let's pay her a thousand or two a year +as interest on her father's alleged share - it will be a drop in +the bucket to us, but it will seem a big thing to her - and that +will give us a hold on her keeping silence, if she really does know +anything.' Then Beamish will ask Miss Coburn to meet him, probably +in London. She will do so, not alone, but with some near friend, +perhaps yourself, Mr. Merriman, seeing you were at the clearing and +know something of the circumstances. You will be armed, and in +addition I shall have a couple of men from the Yard within call + - say, disguised as waiters, if a restaurant is chosen for the +meeting. You, Miss Coburn, will come out in a new light at that +meeting. You will put up a bluff. You will tell Captain Beamish +you know he is smuggling brandy, and that the money he offers won't +meet the case at all. You must have 25,000 pounds down paid as the +value of your father's share in the concern, and in such a way as +will raise no suspicion that you knew what was in progress. The +interview we can go into in detail later, but it must be so arranged +that Beamish will see Mr. Merriman's hand in the whole thing. On +the 25,000 pounds being paid the incriminating notes will be handed +over. You will explain that as a precautionary measure you have +sent them in a sealed envelope to your solicitor, together with a +statement of the whole case, with instructions to open the same that +afternoon if not reclaimed before that by yourself in person. Now +with regard to your objection, Miss Coburn. I quite realize what +an exceedingly nasty job this will be for you. In ordinary +circumstances I should not suggest it. But the people against whom +I ask you to act did not hesitate to lure your father into the cab +in which they intended to shoot him. They did this by a show of +friendliness, and by playing on the trust he reposed in them, and +they did it deliberately and in cold blood. You need not hesitate +from nice feeling to act as I suggest in order to get justice for +your father's memory." + +Madeleine braced herself up. + +"I know you are right, and if there is no other way I shall not +hesitate," she said, but there was a piteous look in her eyes. +"And you will help me, Seymour?" She looked appealingly at her +companion. + +Merriman demurred on the ground that, even after taking all Willis's +precautions, the girl would still be in danger, but she would not +consider that aspect of the question at all, and at last he was +overborne. Madeleine with her companion's help then rewrote the +letter in her own phraseology, and addressed it to Captain Beamish, +c/o Messrs. The Landes Pit-Prop Syndicate, Ferriby, Hull. Having +arranged that he would receive immediate telephonic information of +a reply, Willis left the house and was driven back to Brighton. +Next morning he returned to London. + +The Girondin, he reckoned, would reach Ferriby on the following +Friday, and on the Thursday he returned to Hull. He did not want +to be seen with Hunt, as he expected the latter's business would by +this time be too well known. He therefore went to a different +hotel, ringing up the Excise man and arranging a meeting for that +evening. + +Hunt turned up about nine, and the two men retired to Willis's +bedroom, where the inspector described his doings at Bordeaux. Then +Hunt told of his discoveries since the other had left. + +"I've got all I want at last," he said. "You remember we both +realized that those five houses were getting in vastly more brandy +than they could possibly sell? Well, I've found out how they are +getting rid of the surplus." + +Willis looked his question. + +"They are selling it round to other houses. They have three men +doing nothing else. They go in and buy anything from a bottle up +to three or four kegs, and there is always a good reason for the +purchase. Usually it is that they represent a publican whose stock +is just out, and who wants a quantity to keep him going. But the +point is that all the purchases are perfectly in order. They are +openly made and the full price is paid. But, following it up, I +discovered that there is afterwards a secret rebate. A small +percentage of the price is refunded. This pays everyone concerned +and ensures secrecy." + +Willis nodded. + +"It's well managed all through," he commented. "They deserved to +succeed." + +"Yes, but they're not going to. All the same my discoveries won't +help you. I'm satisfied that none of these people know anything +of the main conspiracy." + +Early on the following morning Willis was once more at work. Dawn +had not completely come when he motored from the city to the end +of the Ferriby lane. Ten minutes after leaving his car he was in +the ruined cottage. There he unearthed his telephone from the box +in which he had hidden it, and took up his old position at the +window, prepared to listen in to whatever messages might pass. + +He had a longer vigil than on previous occasions, and it was not +until nearly four that he saw Archer lock the door of his office +and move towards the filing-room. Almost immediately came Benson's +voice calling: "Are you there?" + +They conversed as before for a few minutes. The Girondin, it +appeared, had arrived some hours previously with a cargo of "1375." +It was clear that the members of the syndicate had agreed never +to mention the word "gallons." It was, Willis presumed, a likely +enough precaution against eavesdroppers, and he thought how much +sooner both Hilliard and himself would have guessed the real nature +of the conspiracy, had it not been observed. + +Presently they came to the subject about which Willis was expecting +to hear. Beamish, the manager explained, was there and wished to +speak to Archer. + +'That you, Archer?" came in what Willis believed he recognized as +the captain's voice. "I've had rather a nasty jar, a letter from +Madeleine Coburn. Wants Coburn's share in the affair, and hints +at knowledge of what we're really up to. Reads as if she was put +up to it by someone, probably that Merriman. Hold on a minute and +I'll read it to you." Then followed Madeleine's letter. + +Archer's reply was short but lurid, and Willis, not withstanding +the seriousness of the matter, could not help smiling. + +There was a pause, and then Archer asked: + +"When did you get that?" + +"Now, when we got in; but Benson tells me the letter has been +waiting for me for three days." + +"You might read it again." + +Beamish did so, and presently Archer went on: + +"In my opinion, we needn't be unduly alarmed. Of course she may +know something, but I fancy it's what you say; that Merriman is +getting her to put up a bluff. But it'll take thinking over. I +have an appointment presently, and in any case we couldn't discuss +it adequately over the telephone. We must meet. Could you come +up to my house tonight?" + +"Yes, if you think it wise?" + +"It's not wise, but I think we must risk it. You're not known here. +But come alone; Benson shouldn't attempt it." + +"Right. What time?" + +"What about nine? I often work in the evenings, and I'm never +disturbed. Come round to my study window and I shall be there. Tap +lightly. The window is on the right-hand side of the house as you +come up the drive, the fourth from the corner. You can slip round +to it in the shadow of the bushes, and keep on the grass the whole +time." + +"Right. Nine o'clock, then." + +The switch of the telephone clicked, and presently Willis saw Archer +reappear in his office. + +The inspector was disappointed. He had hoped that the conspirators +would have completed their plans over the telephone, and that he +would have had nothing to do but listen to what they arranged. Now +he saw that if he were to gain the information he required, it would +mean a vast deal more trouble, and perhaps danger as well. + +He felt that at all costs he must be present at the interview in +Archer's study, but the more he thought about it, the more difficult +the accomplishment of this seemed. He was ignorant of the plan of +the house, or what hiding-places, if any, there might be in the +study, nor could he think of any scheme by which he could gain +admittance. Further, there was but little time in which to make +inquiries or arrangements, as he could not leave his present retreat +until dark, or say six o'clock. He saw the problem would be one of +the most difficult he had ever faced. + +But the need for solving it was paramount, and when darkness had +set in he let himself out of the cottage and walked the mile or more +to Archer's residence. It was a big square block of a house, +approached by a short winding drive, on each side of which was a +border of rhododendrons. The porch was in front, and the group of +windows to the left of it were lighted up - the dining-room, Willis +imagined. He followed the directions given to Beamish and moved +round to the right, keeping well in the shadow of the shrubs. The +third and fourth windows from the corner on the right side were +also lighted up, and the inspector crept silently up and peeped +over the sill. The blinds were drawn down, but that on the third +window was not quite pulled to the bottom, and through the narrow +slit remaining he could see into the room. + +It was empty, but evidently only for the time being, as a cheerful +fire burned in the grate. Furnished as a study, everything bore the +impress of wealth and culture. By looking from each end of the slot +in turn, nearly all the floor area and more than half of the walls +became visible, and a glance showed the inspector that nowhere in +his purview was there anything behind which he might conceal himself, +supposing he could obtain admission. + +But could he obtain admission? He examined the sashes. They were +of steel, hinged and opening inwards in the French manner, and were +fastened by a handle which could not be turned from without. Had +they been the ordinary English sashes fastened with snibs he would +have had the window open in a few seconds, but with these he could +do nothing. + +He moved round the house examining the other windows. All were +fitted with the same type of sash, and all were fastened. The +front door also was shut, and though he might have been able to open +it with his bent wire, he felt that to adventure himself into the +hall without any idea of the interior would be too dangerous. Here, +as always, he was hampered by the fact that discovery would mean +the ruin of his case. + +Having completed the circuit of the building, he looked once more +through the study window. At once he saw that his opportunity was +gone. At the large desk sat Archer busily writing. + +Various expedients to obtain admission to the house passed through +his brain, all to be rejected as impracticable. Unless some +unexpected incident occurred of which he could take advantage, he +began to fear he would be unable to accomplish his plan. + +As by this time it was half past eight, he withdrew from the window +and took up his position behind a neighboring shrub. He did not +wish to be seen by Beamish, should the latter come early to the +rendezvous. + +He had, however, to wait for more than half an hour before a dark +form became vaguely visible in the faint light which shone through +the study blinds. It approached the window, and a tap sounded on +the glass. In a moment the blind went up, the sash opened, the +figure passed through, the sash closed softly, and the blind was +once more drawn down. In three seconds Willis was back at the sill. + +The slot under the blind still remained, the other window having +been opened. Willis first examined the fastening of the latter in +the hope of opening the sash enough to hear what was said, but to +his disappointment he found it tightly closed. He had therefore to +be content with observation through the slot. + +He watched the two men sit down at either side of the fire, and light +cigars. Then Beamish handed the other a paper, presumably Madeleine's +letter. Archer having read it twice, a discussion began. At first +Archer seemed to be making some statement, to judge by the other's +rapt attention and the gestures of excitement or concern which he +made. But no word of the conversation reached the inspector's ears. + +He watched for nearly two hours, getting gradually more and more +cramped from his stooping position, and chilled by the sharp autumn +air. During all that time the men talked. earnestly, then, shortly +after eleven, they got up and approached the window. Willis +retreated quickly behind his bush. + +The window opened softly and Beamish stepped out to the grass, the +light shining on his strong, rather lowering face. Archer leaned +out of the window after him, and Willis heard him say in low tones, +"Then you'll speak up at eleven?" to which the other nodded and +silently withdrew. The window closed, the blind was lowered, and +all remained silent. + +Willis waited for some minutes to let the captain get clear away, +then leaving his hiding-place and again keeping on the grass, he +passed down the drive and out on to the road. He was profoundly +disappointed. He had failed in his purpose, and the only ray of +light in the immediate horizon was that last remark of Archer's. +If it meant, as he presumed it did, that the men were to +communicate by the secret telephone at eleven in the morning, all +might not yet be lost. He might learn then what he had missed +tonight. + +It seemed hardly worth while returning to Hull. He therefore went +to the Raven Bar in Ferriby, knocked up the landlord, and by +paying four or five times the proper amount, managed to get a meal +and some food for the next day. Then he returned to the deserted +cottage, he let himself in, closed the door behind him, and lying +down on the floor with his head on his arm, fell asleep. + +Next morning found him back at his post at the broken window, with +the telephone receiver at his ear. His surmise at the meaning of +Archer's remark at the study window proved to be correct, for +precisely at eleven he heard the familiar: "Are you there?" which +heralded a conversation. Then Beamish's voice went on: + +"I have talked this business over with Benson, and he makes a +SUGGESTION which I think is an improvement on our plan. He thinks +we should have our general meeting in London immediately after I +have interviewed Madeleine Coburn. The advantage of this scheme +would be that if we found she possessed really serious knowledge, +we could immediately consider our next move, and I could, if +necessary, see her again that night. Benson thinks I should fix +up a meeting with her at say 10.30 or 11, that I could then join +you at lunch at 1.30, after which we could discuss my report, and +I could see the girl again at 4 or 5 o'clock. It seems to me a +sound scheme. What do you say?" + +"It has advantages," Archer answered slowly. "If you both think +it best, I'm quite agreeable. Where then should the meetings be +held?" + +"In the case of Miss Coburn there would be no change in our last +night's arrangement; a private sitting-room at the Gresham would +still do excellently. If you're going to town you could fix up +some place for our own meeting - preferably close by." + +"Very well, I'm going up on Tuesday in any case, and I'll arrange +something. I shall let Benson know, and he can tell you and the +others. I think we should all go up by separate trains. I shall +probably go by the 5.3 from Hull on the evening before. Let's see, +when will you be in again?" + +"Monday week about midday, I expect. Benson could go up that +morning, Bulla and I separately by the 4, and Fox, Henri, and +Raymond, if he comes, by the first train next morning. How would +that do?" + +"All right, I think. The meetings then will be on Tuesday at 11 +and 1.30, Benson to give you the address of the second. We can +arrange at the meeting about returning to Hull." + +"Righto," Beamish answered shortly, and the conversation ended. + +Willis for once was greatly cheered by what he had overheard. His +failure on the previous evening was evidently not going to be so +serious as he had feared. He had in spite of it gained a knowledge +of the conspirators' plans, and he chuckled with delight as he +thought how excellently his ruse was working, and how completely +the gang were walking into the trap which he had prepared. As far +as he could see, he held all the trump cards of the situation, and +if he played his hand carefully he should undoubtedly get not only +the men, but the evidence to convict them. + +To learn the rendezvous for the meeting of the syndicate he would +have to follow Archer to town, and shadow him as he did his business. +This was Saturday, and the managing director had said he was going +on the following Tuesday. From that there would be a week until +the meeting, which would give more than time to make the necessary +arrangements. + +Willis remained in the cottage until dark that evening, then, making +his way to Ferriby station, returned to Hull. His first action on +reaching the city was to send a letter to Madeleine, asking her to +forward Beamish's reply to him at the Yard. + +On Monday he began his shadowing of Archer, lest the latter should +go to town that day. But the distiller made no move until the +Tuesday, travelling up that morning by the 6.15 from Hull. + +At 12.25 they reached King's Cross. Archer leisurely left the train, +and crossing the platform, stepped into a taxi and was driven away. +Willis, in a second taxi, followed about fifty yards behind. The +chase led westwards along the Euston Road until, turning to the +left down Gower Street, the leading vehicle pulled up at the door +of the Gresham Hotel in Bedford Square. Willis's taxi ran on past +the other, and through the backlight the inspector saw Archer alight +and pass into the hotel. + +Stopping at a door in Bloomsbury Street, Willis sat watching. In +about five minutes Archer reappeared, and again entering his taxi, +was driven off southwards. Willis's car slid once more in behind +the other, and the chase recommenced. They crossed Oxford Street, +and passing down Charing Cross Road stopped at a small foreign +restaurant in a narrow lane off Cranbourne Street. + +Willis's taxi repeated its previous maneuver, and halted opposite +a shop from where the inspector could see the other vehicle through +the backlight. He thought he had all the information he needed, +but there was the risk that Archer might not find the room he +required at the little restaurant and have to try elsewhere. + +This second call lasted longer than the first, and a quarter of an +hour had passed before the distiller emerged and reentered his taxi. +This time the chase was short. At the Trocadero Archer got out, +dismissed his taxi, and passed into the building. Willis, following +discreetly, was in time to see the other seat himself at a table and +leisurely take up the bill of fare. Believing the quarry would +remain where he was for another half hour at least, the inspector +slipped unobserved out of the room, and jumping once more into his +taxi, was driven back to the little restaurant off Cranbourne Street. +He sent for the manager and drew him aside. + +"I'm Inspector Willis from Scotland Yard," he said with a sharpness +strangely at variance with his usual easy-going mode of address. +"See here." He showed his credentials, at which the manager bowed +obsequiously. "I am following that gentleman who was in here +inquiring about a room a few minutes ago. I want to know what +passed between you." + +The manager, who was a sly, evil-looking person seemingly of Eastern +blood, began to hedge, but Willis cut him short with scant ceremony. + +"Now look here, my friend," he said brusquely, "I haven't time to +waste with you. That man that you were talking to is wanted for +murder, and what you have to decide is whether you're going to act +with the police or against them. If you give us any, trouble you +may find yourself in the dock as an accomplice after the fact. In +any case it's not healthy for a man in your position to run up +against the police." + +His bluff had more effect that it might have had with an Englishman +in similar circumstances, and the manager became polite and anxious +to assist. Yes, the gentleman had come about a room. He had ordered +lunch in a private room for a party of seven for 1.30 on the +following Tuesday. He had been very particular about the room, had +insisted on seeing it, and had approved of it. It appeared the +party had some business to discuss after lunch, and the gentleman +had required a guarantee that they would not be interrupted. The +gentleman had given his name as Mr. Hodgson. The price had been +agreed on. + +Willis in his turn demanded to see the room, and he was led +upstairs to a small and rather dark chamber, containing a fair-sized +oval table surrounded by red plush chairs, a red plush sofa along +one side, and a narrow sideboard along another. The walls supported +tawdry and dilapidated decorations, in which beveled mirrors and +faded gilding bore a prominent part. Two large but quite worthless +oil paintings hung above the fireplace and the sideboard +respectively, and the window was covered with gelatine paper +simulating stained glass. + +Inspector Willis stood surveying the scene with a frown on his brow. +How on earth was he to secrete himself in this barely furnished +apartment? There was not room under the sofa, still less beneath +the sideboard. Nor was there any adjoining room or cupboard in +which he could hide, his keen ear pressed to the keyhole. It seemed +to him that in this case he was doing nothing but coming up against +one insoluble problem after another. Ruefully he recalled the +conversation in Archer's study, and he decided that, whatever it +cost in time and trouble, there must be no repetition of that fiasco. + +He stood silently pondering over the problem, the manager +obsequiously bowing and rubbing his hands. And then the idea for +which he was hoping flashed into his mind. He walked to the wall +behind the sideboard and struck it sharply. It rang hollow. + +"A partition?" he asked. "What is behind it?" + +"Anozzer room, sair. A private room, same as dees." + +"Show it to me." + +The "ozzer room" was smaller, but otherwise similar to that they +had just left. The doors of the two rooms were beside each other, +leading on to the same passage. + +"This will do," Willis declared. "Now look here, Mr. Manager, I +wish to overhear the conversation of your customers, and I may or +may not wish to arrest them. You will show them up and give them +lunch exactly as you have arranged. Some officers from the Yard +and myself will previously have hidden ourselves in here. See?" + +The manager nodded. + +"In the meantime I shall send a carpenter and have a hole made in +that partition between the two rooms, a hole about two feet by one, +behind the upper part of that picture that hangs above the sideboard. +Do you understand?" + +The manager wrung his hands. + +"Ach!" he cried. "But meine Zimmern! Mine rooms, zey veel pe +deestroyed!" + +"Your rooms will be none the worse," Willis declared. "I will have +the damage made good, and I shall pay you reasonably well for +everything. You'll not lose if you act on the square, but if not - " +he stared aggressively in the other's face - "if the slightest hint +of my plan reaches any of the men - well, it will be ten years at +least." + +"It shall be done! All shall happen as you say!" + +"It had better," Willis rejoined, and with a menacing look he strode +out of the restaurant. + +"The Gresham Hotel," he called to his driver, as he reentered his +taxi. + +His manner to the manageress of the Bedford Square hotel was very +different from that displayed to the German. Introducing himself +as an inspector from the Yard, he inquired the purpose of Archer's +call. Without hesitation he was informed. The distiller had +engaged a private sitting-room for a business interview which was +to take place at eleven o'clock on the following Tuesday between a +Miss Coburn, a Mr. Merriman, and a Captain Beamish. + +"So far so good," thought Willis exultingly, as he drove off. +"They're walking into the trap! I shall have them all. I shall +have them in a week." + +At the Yard he dismissed his taxi, and on reaching his room he +found the letter he was expecting from Madeleine. It contained +that from Beamish, and the latter ran: + + "FERRIBY, YORKS, + "Saturday. + +"DEAR Miss COBURN,-I have just received your letter of 25th inst., +and I hasten to reply. + +"I am deeply grieved to learn that you consider yourself badly +treated by the members of the syndicate, and I may say at once +that I feel positive that any obligations which they may have +contracted will be immediately and honorably discharged. + +"It is, however, news to me that your late father was a partner, +as I always imagined that he held his position as I do my own, +namely, as a salaried official who also receives a bonus based on +the profits of the concern. + +"With regard to the notes you have found on the operations of the +syndicate, it is obvious that these must be capable of a simple +explanation, as there was nothing in the operations complicated or +difficult to understand. + +"I shall be very pleased to fall in with your SUGGESTION that we +should meet and discuss the points at issue, and I would suggest +11 a.m. on Tuesday, 10th prox., at the Gresham Hotel in Bedford +Square, if this would suit you. + + "With kind regards, + "Yours sincerely, + "WALTER BEAMISH." + +Willis smiled as he read this effusion. It was really quite well +worded, and left the door open for any action which the syndicate +might decide on. "Ah, well, my friend," he thought grimly, "you'll +get a little surprise on Tuesday. You'll find Miss Coburn is not +to be caught as easily as you think. Just you wait and see." + +For the next three or four days Willis busied himself in preparing +for his great coup. First he went down again to EASTBOURNE via +Brighton, and coached Madeleine and Merriman in the part they were +to play in the coming interview. Next he superintended the making +of the hole through the wall dividing the two private rooms at the +Cranbourne Street restaurant, and drilled the party of men who were +to occupy the annex. To his unbounded satisfaction, he found that +every word uttered at the table in the larger room was audible next +door to anyone standing at the aperture. Then he detailed two +picked men to wait within call of the private room at the Gresham +during the interview between Madeleine and Beamish. Finally, all +his preparations in London complete, he returned to Hull, and set +himself, by means of the secret telephone, to keep in touch with +the affairs of the syndicate. + + + +CHAPTER 20 + +THE DOUBLE CROSS + + +Inspector Willis spent the Saturday before the fateful Tuesday at +the telephone in the empty cottage. Nothing of interest passed +over the wire, except that Benson informed his chief that he had +had a telegram from Beamish saying that, in order to reach Ferriby +at the prearranged hour, he was having to sail without a full cargo +of props, and that the two men went over again the various trains +by which they and their confederates would travel to London. Both +items pleased Willis, as it showed him that the plans originally +made were being adhered +to. + +On Monday morning, as the critical hour of his coup approached, he +became restless and even nervous - so far, that is, as an inspector +of the Yard on duty can be nervous. So much depended on the results +of the next day and a half! His own fate hung in the balance as +well as that of the men against whom he had pitted himself; Miss +Coburn and Merriman too would be profoundly affected however the +affair ended, while to his department, and even to the nation at +large, his success would not be without importance. + +He determined he would, if possible, see the various members of +the gang start, travelling himself in the train with Archer, as +the leader and the man most urgently "wanted." Benson, he +remembered, was to go first. Willis therefore haunted the Paragon +station, watching the trains leave, and he was well satisfied +when he saw Benson get on board the 9.10 a.m. By means of a word +of explanation and the passing of a couple of shillings, he +induced an official to examine the traveller's ticket, which +proved to be a third return to King's Cross. + +Beamish and Bulla were to travel by the 4 p.m., and Willis, carefully +disguised as a deep-sea fisherman, watched them arrive separately, +take their tickets, and enter the train. Beamish travelled first, +and Bulla third, and again the inspector had their tickets examined, +and found they were for London. + +Archer was to leave at 5.3, and Willis intended as a precautionary +measure to travel up with him and keep him under observation. Still +in his fisherman's disguise, he took his own ticket, got into the +rear of the train, and kept his eye on the platform until he saw +Archer pass, suitcase and rug in hand. Then cautiously looking out, +he watched the other get into the through coach for King's Cross. + +As the train ran past the depot at Ferriby, Willis observed that the +Girondin was not discharging pit-props, but instead was loading casks +of some kind. He had noted on the previous Friday, when he had been +in the neighborhood, that some wagons of these casks had been shunted +inside the enclosure, and were being unloaded by the syndicate's men. +The casks looked like those in which the crude oil for the ship's +Diesel engines arrived, and the fact that she was loading them +unemptied-he presumed them unemptied seemed to indicate that the +pumping plant on the wharf was out of order. + +The 5.3 p.m. ran, with a stop at Goole, to Doncaster, where the +through carriage was shunted on to one of the great expresses from +the north. More from force of habit than otherwise, Willis put his +head out of the window at Goole to watch if anyone should leave +Archer's carriage. But no one did. + +At Doncaster Willis received something of a shock. As his train +drew into the station another was just coming out, and he idly ran +his eye along the line of coaches. A figure in the corner of a +third-class compartment attracted his attention. It seemed vaguely +familiar, but it was already out of sight before the inspector +realized that it was a likeness to Benson that had struck him. He +had not seen the man's face and at once dismissed the matter from +his mind with the careless thought that everyone has his double. +A moment later they pulled up at the platform. + +Here again he put out his head, and it was not long before he saw +Archer alight and, evidently leaving his suitcase and rug to keep +his seat, move slowly down the platform. There was nothing +remarkable in this, as no less than seventeen minutes elapsed +between the arrival of the train from Hull and the departure of +that from London, and through passengers frequently left their +carriage while it was being shunted. At the same time Willis +unostentatiously followed, and presently saw Archer vanish into +the first-class refreshment room. He took up a position where he +had a good view of the door, and waited for the other's +reappearance. + +But the distiller was in no hurry. Ten minutes elapsed, and still +he made no sign. The express from the north thundered in, the +engine hooked off, and shunting began. The train was due out at +6.22, and now the hands of the great clock pointed to 6.19. Willis +began to be perturbed. Had he missed his quarry? + +At 6.20 he could stand it no longer, and at risk of meeting Archer, +should the latter at that moment decide to leave the refreshment +room, he pushed open the door and glanced in. And then he breathed +freely again. Archer was sitting at a table sipping what looked +like a whisky and soda. As Willis looked he saw him glance up at +the clock - now pointing to 6.21 - and calmly settle himself more +comfortably in his chair! + +Why, the man would miss the train! Willis, with a sudden feeling +of disappointment, had an impulse to run over and remind him of the +hour at which it left. But he controlled himself in time, slipped +back to his post of observation, and took up his watch. In a few +seconds the train whistled, and pulled majestically out of the +station. + +For fifteen minutes Willis waited, and then he saw the distiller +leave the refreshment room and walk slowly down the platform. As +Willis followed, it was clear to him that the other had deliberately +allowed his train to start without him, though what his motive had +been the inspector could not imagine. He now approached the +booking-office and apparently bought a ticket, afterwards turning +back down the platform. + +Willis slipped into a doorway until he had passed, then hurrying to +the booking-window, explained who he was and asked to what station +the last comer had booked. He was told "Selby," and he retreated, +exasperated and puzzled beyond words. What could Archer be up to? + +He bought a time-table and began to study the possibilities. +First he made himself clear as to the lie of the land. The main +line of the great East Coast route from London to Scotland +ran almost due north and south through Doncaster. Eighteen +miles to the north was Selby, the next important station. At +Selby a line running east and west crossed the other, leading in +one direction to Leeds and the west, in the other to Hull. + +About half-way between Selby and Hull, at a place called +Staddlethorpe, a line branched off and ran south-westerly through +Goole to Doncaster. Selby, Staddlethorpe, and Doncaster therefore +formed a railway triangle, one of the sides of which, produced, +led to Hull. From this it followed, as indeed the inspector had +known, that passengers to and from Hull had two points of +connection with the main line, either direct to Selby, or through +Goole to Doncaster. + +He began to study the trains. The first northwards was the 4 p.m. +dining-car express from King's Cross to Newcastle. It left +Doncaster at 7.56 and reached Selby at 8.21. Would Archer travel +by it? And if he did, what would be his next move? + +For nearly an hour Willis sat huddled up in the corner of a seat, +his eye on Archer in the distance, and his mind wrestling with the +problem. For nearly an hour he racked his brains without result, +then suddenly a devastating idea flashed before his consciousness, +leaving him rigid with dismay. For a moment his mind refused to +accept so disastrous a possibility, but as he continued to think +over it he found that one puzzling and unrelated fact after another +took on a different complexion from that it had formerly borne; +that, moreover, it dropped into place and became part of a +connected whole. + + + to the North + | + | + |Selby Stsaalethorpt Hull + _x____________x______x_____x________x_______x______ + Leeds | / Ferriby Hassle + | x Goole + | / + | / + | / + |/ + x Dorcaster + | + from London + + +He saw now why Archer could not discuss Madeleine's letter over the +telephone, but was able to arrange in that way for the interview +with Beamish. He understood why Archer, standing at his study +window, had mentioned the call at eleven next morning. He realized +that Benson's amendment was probably arranged by Archer on the +previous evening. He saw why the Girondin had left the Lesque +without her full cargo, and why she was loading barrels at Ferriby. +He knew who it was he had seen passing in the other train as his +own reached Doncaster, and he grasped the reason for Archer's visit +to Selby. In a word, he saw he had been hoaxed - fooled - carefully, +systematically, and at every point. While he had been congratulating +himself on the completeness with which the conspirators had been +walking into his net, he had in reality been caught in theirs. He +had been like a child in their hands. They had evidently been +watching and countering his every step. + +He saw now that his tapping of the secret telephone must have been +discovered, and that his enemies had used their discovery to mislead +him. They must have recognized that Madeleine's letter was inspired +by himself, and read his motives in making her send it. They had +then used the telephone to make him believe they were falling into +his trap, while their real plans were settled in Archer's study. + +What those plans were he believed he now understood. There would be +no meetings in London on the following day. The meetings were +designed to bring him, Willis, to the Metropolis and keep him there. +By tomorrow the gang, convinced that discovery was imminent, would be +aboard the Girondin and on the high seas. They were, as he expressed +it to himself, "doing a bunk." + +Therefore of necessity the Girondin would load barrelled oil to +drive her to some country where Scotland Yard detectives did not +flourish, and where extradition laws were of no account. Therefore +she must return light, or, he suspected, empty, as there would be +no time to unload. Moreover, a reason for this "lightness" must +be given him, lest he should notice the ship sitting high out of +the water, and suspect. And he now knew that it was really Benson +that he had seen returning to Ferriby via Goole, and that Archer +was doing the same via Selby. + +He looked up the trains from Selby to Ferriby. There was only one. +It left Selby at 9.19, fifty-eight minutes after the Doncaster +train arrived there, and reached Ferriby at 10.7. It was now +getting on towards eight. He had nearly two and a half hours to +make his plans. + +Though Willis was a little slow in thought he was prompt in action. +Feeling sure that Archer would indeed travel by the 7.56 to Selby, +he relaxed his watch and went to the telephone call office. There +he rang up the police station at Selby, asking for a plain-clothes +man and two constables to meet him at the train to make an arrest. +Also he asked for a fast car to be engaged to take him immediately +to Ferriby. He then called up the police in Hull, and had a long +talk with the superintendent. Finally it was arranged that a +sergeant and twelve men were to meet him on the shore at the back +of the signal cabin near the Ferriby depot, with a boat and a +grappling ladder for getting aboard the Girondin. This done, +Willis hurried back to the platform, reaching it just as the 7.56 +came in. He watched Archer get on board, and then himself entered +another compartment. + +At Selby the quarry alighted, and passed along the platform towards +the booking-office. Willis's police training instantly revealed to +him the plain-clothes man, and him he instructed to follow Archer +and learn to what station he booked. In a few moments the man +returned to say it was Ferriby. Then calling up the two constables, +the four officers followed the distiller into the first-class +waiting room, where he had taken cover. Willis walked up to him. + +"Archibald Charles Archer," he said impressively, "I am Inspector +Willis of Scotland Yard. I have a warrant for your arrest on a +charge of murdering Francis Coburn in a cab in London on September +12 last. I have to warn you that anything you say may be used in +evidence." + +For a moment the distiller seemed so overwhelmed with surprise as +to be incapable of movement, and before he could pull himself +together there was a click, and handcuffs gleamed on his wrists. +Then his eyes blazed, and with the inarticulate roar of a wild +beast he flung himself wildly on Willis, and, manacled as he was, +attempted to seize his throat. But the struggle was brief. In a +moment the three other men had torn him off, and he stood glaring +at his adversary, and uttering savage curses. + +"You look after him, sergeant," Willis directed a little breathlessly, +as he tried to straighten the remnants of his tie. "I must go on to +Ferriby." + +A powerful car was waiting outside the station, and Willis, jumping +in, offered the driver an extra pound if he was at Ferriby within +fifty minutes. He reckoned the distance was about twenty-five miles, +and he thought he should maintain at average of thirty miles an hour. + +The night was intensely dark as the big vehicle swung out of Selby, +eastward bound. A slight wind blew in from the east, bearing a damp, +searching cold, more trying than frost. Willis, who had left his +coat in the London train, shivered as he drew the one rug the +vehicle contained up round his shoulders. + +The road to Howden was broad and smooth, and the car made fine going. +But at Howden the main road turned north, and speed on the +comparatively inferior cross roads to Ferriby had to be reduced. +But Willis was not dissatisfied with their progress when at 9.38, +fifty-four minutes after leaving Selby, they pulled up in the +Ferriby lane, not far from the distillery and opposite the railway +signal cabin. + +Having arranged with the driver to run up to the main road, wait +there until he heard four blasts on the Girondin's horn, and then +make for the syndicate's depot, the inspector dismounted, and +forcing his way through the railway fence, crossed the rails and +descended the low embankment on the river side. A moment later, +just as he reached the shore, the form of a man loomed up dimly +through the darkness. + +"Who is there?" asked Willis softly. + +"Constable Jones, sir," the figure answered. "Is that Inspector +Willis? Sergeant Hobbs is here with the boats." + +Willis followed the other for fifty yards along the beach, until +they came on two boats, each containing half a dozen policemen. It +was still very dark; and the wind blew cold and raw. The silence +was broken only by the lapping of the waves on the shingle. Willis +felt that the night was ideal for his purpose. There was enough +noise from wind and water to muffle any sounds that the men might +make in getting aboard the Girondin, but not enough to prevent him +overhearing any conversation which might be in progress. + +"We have just got here this minute, sir," the sergeant said. "I +hope we haven't kept you waiting." + +"Just arrived myself," Willis returned. "You have twelve picked +men?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Armed?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Good. I need not remind you all not to fire except as a last +resort. What arrangements have you made for boarding?" + +"We have a ladder with hooks at the top for catching on the taffrail." + +"Your oars muffled?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Very well. Now listen, and see that you are clear about what you +are to do. When we reach the ship get your ladder into position, +and I'll go up. You and the men follow. Keep beside me, sergeant. +We'll overhear what we can. When I give the signal, rush in and +arrest the whole gang. Do you follow?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Then let us get under way." + +They pushed off, passing like phantoms over the dark water. The +ship carried a riding light, to which they steered. She was lying, +Willis knew, bow upstream. The tide was flowing, and when they were +close by they ceased rowing and drifted down on to her stern. There +the leading boat dropped in beneath her counter, and the bowman made +the painter fast to her rudder post. The second boat's painter was +attached to the stern of the first, and the current swung both +alongside. The men, fending off, allowed their craft to come into +place without sound. The ladder was raised and hooked on, and +Willis, climbing up, stealthily raised his head above the taffrail. + +The port side of the ship was, as on previous occasions, in complete +darkness, and Willis jerked the ladder as a signal to the others to +follow him. In a few seconds the fourteen men stood like shadows on +the lower deck. Then Willis, tiptoeing forward, began to climb the +ladder to the bridge deck, just as Hilliard had done some four months +earlier. As on that occasion, the starboard side of the ship, next +the wharf, was dimly lighted up. A light also showed in the window +of the captain's cabin, from which issued the sound of voices. + +Willis posted his men in two groups at either end of the cabin, so +that at a given signal they could rush round in opposite directions +and reach the door. Then he and the sergeant crept forward and put +their ears to the window. + +This time, though the glass was hooked back as before, the curtain +was pulled fully across the opening, so that the men could see +nothing and only partially hear what was said. Willis therefore +reached in and very gradually pulled it a little aside. Fortunately +no one noticed the movement, and the talk continued uninterruptedly. + +The inspector could now see in. Five men were squeezed round the +tiny table. Beamish and Bulla sat along one side, directly facing +him. At the end was Fox. The remaining two had their backs to the +window, and were, the inspector believed, Raymond and Henri. Before +each man was a long tumbler of whisky and soda, and a box of cigars +lay on the table. All seemed nervous and excited, indeed as if +under an intolerable strain, and kept fidgeting and looking at their +watches. Conversation was evidently maintained with an effort, as a +thing necessary to keep them from a complete breakdown. Raymond was +speaking: + +"And you saw him come out?" he was asking. + +"Yes," Fox answered. "He came out sort of stealthy and looked +around. I didn't know who it was then, but I knew no one had any +business in the cottage at that hour, so I followed him to Ferriby +station. I saw his face by the lamps there." + +"And you knew him?" + +"No, but I recognized him as having been around with that Excise +inspector, and I guessed he was on to something." + +"Oui, oui. Yes?" the Frenchman interrogated. + +"Well, naturally I told the chief. He knew who it was." + +"Bien! There is not - how do you say? - flies on Archer, n'est-ce +pas? And then?" + +"The chief guessed who it was from the captain's description." + +Fox nodded his head at Beamish. "You met him, eh, captain?" + +"He stood me a drink," the big man answered, "but what he did it +for I don't know." + +"But how did he get wise to the telephone?" Bulla rumbled. + +"Can't find out," Fox replied, "but it showed he was wise to the +whole affair. Then there was that letter from Miss Coburn. That +gave the show away, because there could have been no papers like +she said, and she couldn't have discovered anything then that she +hadn't known at the clearing. Archer put Morton on to it, and he +found that this Willis went down to EASTBOURNE one night about two +days before the letter came. So that was that. Then he had me +watch for him going to the telephone, and he has fooled him about +proper. I guess he's in London now, arranging to arrest us all +tomorrow." + +Bulla chuckled fatly. + +"As you say," he nodded at Raymond, "there ain't no flies on +Archer, what?" + +"I've always thought a lot of Archer," Beamish remarked, "but I +never thought so much of him as that night we drew lots for who +should put Coburn out of the way. When he drew the long taper +he never as much as turned a hair. That's the last time we had +a full meeting, and we never reckoned that this would be the next." + +At this moment a train passed going towards Hull. + +"There's his train," Fox cried. "He should be here soon." + +"How long does it take to get from the station?" Raymond inquired. + +"About fifteen minutes," Captain Beamish answered. "We're time +enough making a move." + +The men showed more and more nervousness, but the talk dragged on +for some quarter of an hour. Suddenly from the wharf sounded the +approaching footsteps of a running man. He crossed the gangway and +raced up the ladder to the captain's cabin. The others sprang to +their feet as the door opened and Benson appeared. + +"He hasn't come!" he cried excitedly. "I watched at the station +and he didn't get out!" + +Consternation showed on every face, and Beamish swore bitterly. +There was a variety of comments and conjectures. + +"There's no other train?" + +"Only the express. It doesn't stop here, but it stops at Hassle +on notice to the guard." + +"He may have missed the connection at Selby," Fox suggested. "In +that case he would motor." + +Beamish spoke authoritatively. + +"I wish, Benson, you would go and ring up the Central and see if +there has been any message." + +Willis whispered to the sergeant, who, beckoning to two of his men, +crept hurriedly down the port ladder to the lower deck. In a +moment Benson followed down the starboard or lighted side. Willis +listened breathlessly above, heard what he was expecting - a sudden +scuffle, a muffled cry, a faint click, and then silence. He peeped +through the porthole. Fox was expounding his theory about the +railway connections, and none of those within had heard the sounds. +Presently the sergeant returned with his men. + +"Trussed him up to the davit pole," he breathed in the inspector's +ear. "He won't give no trouble." + +Willis nodded contentedly. That was one out of the way out of six, +and he had fourteen on his side. + +Meanwhile the men in the cabin continued anxiously discussing their +leader's absence, until after a few minutes Beamish swore irritably. + +"Curse that fool Benson," he growled. "What the blazes is keeping +him all this time? I had better go and hurry him up. If they've got +hold of Archer, it's time we were out of this." + +Willis's hand closed on the sergeant's arm. + +"Same thing again, but with three men," he whispered. + +The four had hardly disappeared down the port ladder when Beamish +left his cabin and began to descend the starboard. Willis felt +that the crisis was upon him. He whispered to the remaining +constables, who closed in round the cabin door, then grasped his +revolver, and stood tense. + +Suddenly a wild commotion arose on the lower deck. There was a +warning shout from Beamish, instantly muffled, a tramp of feet, a +pistol shot, and sounds of a violent struggle. + +For a moment there was silence in the cabin, the men gazing at each +other with consternation on their faces. Then Bulla yelled: "Copped, +by heck!" and with an agility hardly credible in a man of his years, +whipped out a revolver, and sprang out of the cabin. Instantly he +was seized by three constables, and the four went swinging and +lurching across the deck, Bulla fighting desperately to turn his +weapon on his assailants. At the same moment Willis leaped to the +door, and with his automatic levelled, shouted, "Hands up, all of +you! You are covered from every quarter!" + +Henri and Fox, who were next the door, obeyed as if in a stupor, but +Raymond's hand flew out, and a bullet whistled past the inspector's +head. Instantly Willis fired, and with a scream the Frenchman +staggered back. + +It was the work of a few seconds for the remaining constables to +dash in under the inspector's pistol and handcuff the two men in +the cabin, and Willis then turned to see how the contests on deck +were faring. But these also were over. Both Beamish and Bulla, +borne down by the weight of numbers, had been secured. + +The inspector next turned to examine Raymond. His shot had been +well aimed. The bullet had entered the base of the man's right +thumb, and passed out through his wrist. His life was not in +danger, but it would be many a long day before he would again +fire a revolver. + +Four blasts on the Girondin's horn recalled Willis's car, and when, +some three hours later, the last batch of prisoners was safely +lodged in the Hull police station, Willis began to feel that the +end of his labors was at last coming in sight. + +The arrests supplied the inspector with fresh material on +which to work. As a result of his careful investigation of the +movements of the prisoners during the previous three years, +the entire history of the Pit-Prop Syndicate was unravelled, as +well as the details of Coburn's murder. + +It seemed that the original idea of the fraud was Raymond's. He +looked round for a likely English partner, selected Archer, +broached the subject to him, and found him willing to go in. Soon, +from his dominating personality, Archer became the leader. Details +were worked out, and the necessary confederates carefully chosen. +Beamish and Bulla went in as partners, the four being bound together +by their joint liability. The other three members were tools over +whom the quartet had obtained some hold. In Coburn's case, Archer +learned of the defalcations in time to make the erring cashier his +victim. He met the deficit in return for a signed confession of +guilt and an I 0 U for a sum that would have enabled the distiller +to sell the other up, and ruin his home and his future. + +An incompletely erased address in a pocket diary belonging to +Beamish led Willis to a small shop on the south side of London, +where he discovered an assistant who had sold a square of black +serge to two men, about the time of Coburn's murder. The salesman +remembered the transaction because his customers had been unable +to describe what they wanted otherwise than by the word "cloth," +which was not the technical name foy any of his commodities. The +fabric found in the cab was identical to that on the roll this man +stated he had used; moreover, he identified Beamish and Bulla as +the purchasers. + +Willis had a routine search made of the restaurants of Soho, and at +last found that in which the conspirators had held their meetings +previous to the murder. There had been two. At the first, so +Willis learned from the description given by the proprietor, Coburn +had been present, but not at the second. + +In spite of all his efforts he was unable to find the shop at which +the pistol had been bought, but he suspected the transaction had +been carried out by one of the other members of the gang, in order +as far as possible to share the responsibility for the crime. + +On the Girondin was found the false bulkhead in Bulla's cabin, +behind which was placed the hidden brandy tank. The connection for +the shore pipe was concealed behind the back of the engineer's +wash-hand basin, which moved forward by means of a secret spring. + +On the Girondin was also found something over 700,000 pounds, mostly +in Brazilian notes, and Benson admitted later that the plan had been +to scuttle the Girondin off the coast of Bahia, take to the boats +and row ashore at night, remaining in Brazil at least till the hue +and cry had died down. But instead all seven men received heavy +sentences. Archer paid for his crimes with his life, the others got +terms of from ten to fifteen years each. The managers of the +licensed houses in Hull were believed to have been in ignorance of +the larger fraud, and to have dealt privately and individually with +Archer, and they and their accomplices escaped with lighter penalties. + +The mysterious Morton proved to be a private detective, employed by +Archer. He swore positively that he had no knowledge of the real +nature of the syndicate's operations, and though the judge's +strictures on his conduct were severe, no evidence could be found +against him, and he was not brought to trial. + +Inspector Willis got his desired promotion out of the case, and +there was someone else who got more. About a month after the trial, +in the Holy Trinity Church, EASTBOURNE, a wedding was solemnized - +Seymour Merriman and Madeleine Coburn were united in the holy bonds +of matrimony. And Hilliard, assisting as best man, could not refrain +from whispering in his friend's ear as they turned to leave the +vestry, "Three cheers for the Pit-Prop Syndicate!" + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Pit Prop Syndicate, by Croft + |