THE CASK

by

FREEMAN WILLS
CROFTS

Published for

THE CRIME CLUB

by COLLINS FORTY-EIGHT PALL MALL
LONDON

FirstImpression June, 1920
Second” December, 1921
Third” January, 1922
Fourth
” February, 1923
Fifth” May, 1924
Sixth” April, 1925
Seventh” December, 1926
Eighth” January, 1927
Ninth
” October, 1928
Tenth” January, 1931
Eleventh” September, 1934
Twelfth” February, 1935
Thirteenth” December, 1936
Fourteenth” July, 1937
Fifteenth” January, 1938

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN

COLLINS CLEAR-TYPE PRESS : LONDON AND GLASGOW

COPYRIGHT

CONTENTS
PART I—LONDON
I. [A STRANGE CONSIGNMENT]
II. [INSPECTOR BURNLEY ON THE TRACK]
III. [THE WATCHER ON THE WALL]
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