d 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 no