trained detective could not be easy, but to him, an amateur at the
game, it seemed well-nigh impossible. And particularly he found
himself handicapped by the intimate terms with the Coburns on which
he and Merriman found themselves. For instance, that very morning
an excursion had been arranged to an old chateau near Bordeaux. How
could he refuse to go? And if he went how could he watch the loading
of the Girondin?

He had suspected before that the Coburns' hospitality was due to
something other than friendliness, and now he was sure of it. No
longer had he any doubt that the object was to get him out of the
way, to create that very obstacle to investigation which it had
created. And here again Miss Coburn had undoubtedly lent herself
to the plot.

He was not long in coming to the conclusion that the sooner he and
Merriman took leave of the Coburns the better. Besides this
question of handicap, he was afraid with so astute a man as Coburn
he would sooner or later give himself away.

The thought led to another. Would it not be wise to keep Merriman
in ignorance of what he had learned at least for the present?
Merriman was an open, straightforward chap, transparently honest in
all his dealings. Could he dissemble sufficiently to hide his
knowledge from his hosts? In particular could he deceive Madeleine?
Hilliard doubted it. He felt that under the special circumstances
his friend's discretion could not be relied on. At all events
Merriman's appearance of ignorance would be more convincing if it
were genuine.