“So Hilliard was right about the brandy after all!” Merriman exclaimed. “He deserves some credit for that. I think he believed in it all the time, in spite of our conclusion that we had proved it impossible. By Jove! How you can be had!”
Willis turned to him.
“Don’t be disappointed about your part in it, sir,” he advised. “I consider that you and Mr. Hilliard did uncommonly well. I may tell you that I thought so much of your work that I checked nothing of what you had done.”
Merriman colored with pleasure.
“Jolly good of you to say so, I’m sure, inspector,” he said; “but I’m afraid most of the credit for that goes to Hilliard.”
“It was your joint work I was speaking of,” Willis insisted. “But now to get on to business. As I said, my difficulty is that I suspect the members of the syndicate of complicity in Mr. Coburn’s death, but I can’t prove it. I have thought out a plan which may or may not produce this proof. It is in this that I want your help.”
“Mr. Inspector,” cried Madeleine reproachfully, “need you ask for it?”
Willis laughed.
“I don’t think so. But I can’t very well come in and command it, you know.”
“Of course you can,” Madeleine returned. “You know very well that in such a cause Mr. Merriman and I would do anything.”