IV. A MIDNIGHT INTERVIEW V. FELIX TELLS A STORY VI. THE ART OF DETECTION VII. THE CASK AT LAST VIII. THE OPENING OF THE CASK PART II--PARIS IX. M. LE CHEF DE LA SÛRETÉ X. WHO WROTE THE LETTER? XI. MM. DUPIERRE ET CIE XII. AT THE GARE ST. LAZARE XIII. THE OWNER OF THE DRESS XIV. M. BOIRAC MAKES A STATEMENT XV. THE HOUSE IN THE AVENUE DE L’ALMA XVI. INSPECTOR BURNLEY UP AGAINST IT XVII. A COUNCIL OF WAR XVIII. LEFARGE HUNTS ALONE XIX. THE TESTING OF AN ALIBI XX. SOME DAMNING EVIDENCE PART III--LONDON AND PARIS XXI. A NEW POINT OF VIEW XXII. FELIX TELLS A SECOND STORY XXIII. CLIFFORD GETS TO WORK XXIV. MR. GEORGES LA TOUCHE XXV. DISAPPOINTMENT XXVI. A CLUE AT LAST XXVII. LA TOUCHE’S DILEMMA XXVIII. THE UNRAVELLING OF THE WEB XXIX. A DRAMATIC DÉNOUEMENT XXX. CONCLUSION PART I--LONDON CHAPTER I A STRANGE CONSIGNMENT Mr. Avery, managing director of the Insular and Continental Steam Navigation Company, had just arrived at his office. He glanced at his inward letters, ran his eye over his list of engagements for the day, and inspected the return of the movements of his Company’s steamers. Then, after spending a few moments in thought, he called his chief clerk, Wilcox. ‘I see the _Bullfinch_ is in this morning from Rouen,’ he said. ‘I take it she’ll have that consignment of wines for Norton and Banks?’ ‘She has,’ replied the chief clerk, ‘I’ve just rung up the dock office to inquire.’ ‘I think we ought to have it specially checked from here. You remember all the trouble they gave us about the last lot. Will you send some reliable man down? Whom can you spare?’ ‘Broughton could go. He has done it before.’ ‘Well, see to it, will you, and then send in Miss Johnson, and I shall go through the mail.’ The office was the headquarters of the Insular and Continental Steam Navigation Company, colloquially known as the I. and C., and occupied the second floor of a large block of buildings at the western end of Fenchurch Street. The Company was an important concern, and owned a fleet of some thirty steamers ranging from 300 to 1000 tons burden, which traded between London and the smaller Continental ports. Low freights was their specialty, but they did not drive their boats, and no attempt was made to compete with the more expensive routes in the matter of speed. Under these circumstances they did a large trade in all kinds of goods other than perishables. Mr. Wilcox picked up some papers and stepped over to the desk at which Tom Broughton was working.