rly suspected. But Leeds was on the
direct line through Ferriby, and comparatively not far away. Willis
felt that it was up to him to explore to the uttermost limit all the
possibilities which these facts opened up.

He began by looking at the matter from the conspirators' point of view.
Supposing they had overcome the difficulty of producing the notes, how
would they dispose of them?

Willis could appreciate the idea of locating the illicit press in
France. Firstly, it would be obvious to the gang that the early
discovery of a fraud of the kind was inevitable. Its existence, indeed,
would soon become common property. But this would but slightly affect
its success. It was the finding of the source of supply that mattered,
and the difficulty of this was at once the embarrassment of the
authorities and the opportunity of the conspirators.

Secondly, English notes were to be forged and circulated in England,
therefore it was from the English police that the source of supply must
be hidden. And how better could this be done than by taking it out of
England altogether? The English police would look in England for what
they wanted. The attention of the French police, having no false French
notes to deal with, would not be aroused. It seemed to Willis that so
far he was on firm ground.

The third point was that, granting the first two, some agency would be
required to convey the forged notes from France to England. But here a
difficulty arose. The pit-prop plan seemed altogether too elaborate
and cumbrous for all that was required. Willis, as Merriman had done
earlier, pictured the passenger with the padded overcoat and the
double-bottomed handbag. This traveller, it seemed, would meet the case.

But did he? Would there not, with him, be a certain risk? There would be
a continuous passing through Customs houses, frequent searchings of the
faked suitcase. Accidents happen. Suppose the traveller held on to his
suitcase too carefully? Some sharp-eyed Customs officer might become
suspicious. Suppose he didn't hold on carefully enough and it were lost?
Yes, there would be risks. Small, doubtless, but still risks. And the
gang couldn't afford them.

As Willis turned the matter over in his mind, he came gradually to the
conclusion that the elaboration of the pit-prop business was no real
argument against its having been designed merely to carry forged notes.
As a business, moreover, it would pay or almost pay. It would furnish