“Who was the sender?” French asked, with thinly veiled eagerness. “‘The Veda Office Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Ashburton, South Devon,’” read Evans. The name seemed dimly familiar to French, but he could not remember where he had heard it. Evans went on to say that the crate was invoiced from Ashburton on Tuesday, 16th August, and had reached Swansea on Saturday, 20th. Carriage had been paid by the Veda Company and the whole transaction had been conducted in a perfectly ordinary and regular way. French left the goods office, and at the nearest telephone call office rang up the police station in Ashburton. After a considerable delay he got through. Would the sergeant enquire for him whether the Veda Company had sent out a crate on the 16th August last, addressed to the Morriston Road Goods Station, Swansea, to be called for, and if so, what was in this crate and who had ordered it. For nearly three hours he hung about the police station before being recalled to the telephone. The Ashburton sergeant reported that he had been to the Veda Works and that the manager confirmed the sending out of the crate. It contained a large duplicator, a specialty of the firm’s. The machine had been ordered by letter from the Euston Hotel by a Mr. James S. Stephenson. He enclosed the money, £62.10.0, stating that they were to send it to the Morriston Road Goods Station in Swansea, labelled, “To be kept till called for.” It was to be there not later than on the 20th August, and he would call for it when the ship by which he intended to despatch it was ready to sail. The news did not seem very hopeful to French as over a belated lunch he discussed it with Howells. “This opens a second line of enquiry at Ashburton,” he began, “but I do not think, somehow, that we shall get much from it. I believe the real scent lies here.” “Why so? I should have said it depended on what was in the crate when it reached Swansea. And that’s just what we don’t know.” “I agree. But to me that sergeant’s report sounds as if things at Ashburton were O.K. If so, it follows that the body was put in sometime during that lorry run from Swansea to Loughor. But that doesn’t rule out enquiries at Ashburton. Even if I am right, something may be learned from the order for the machine.” “Quite. Both ends will have to be worked. And how do you propose to do it?” “Can’t you guess?” French said, blandly. “Surely there can be but one answer. I couldn’t hope to do it without the able and distinguished help of Superintendent Howells.” The other laughed. “I thought it was shaping to that. Well, what do you want me to do?” “Trace the run, Superintendent. You can do it in a way I couldn’t attempt. I would suggest that with a map we work out the area which could have been visited during that night, allowing time for unpacking the duplicating machine and putting the body in its place. Then I think this area should be combed. If murder has taken place, you’ll hear of it.” “And you?”