Part 32 (1/2)

”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 antic.i.p.ation. ”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 a.s.sured 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.