There came a knock at the door, and a tall, thin, bearded man came into the room.
"Ah, Dieusy! At last! What news?" cried Guerchard.
Dieusy saluted: "I've learnt that a motor-van was waiting outside the next house—in the side street," he said.
"At what time?" said Guerchard.
"Between four and five in the morning," said Dieusy.
"Who saw it?" said Guerchard.
"A scavenger. He thinks that it was nearly five o'clock when the van drove off."
"Between four and five—nearly five. Then they filled up the opening before they loaded the van. I thought they would," said Guerchard, thoughtfully. "Anything else?"
"A few minutes after the van had gone a man in motoring dress came out of the house," said Dieusy.
"In motoring dress?" said Guerchard quickly.
"Yes. And a little way from the house he threw away his cigarette. The scavenger thought the whole business a little queer, and he picked up the cigarette and kept it. Here it is."
He handed it to Guerchard, whose eyes scanned it carelessly and then glued themselves to it.
