where　is　it？　Not　in　his　house　…　the　police　searched　thoroughly。　Not　on　his　person；　for　he　knows　that　he　is　liable　to　arrest　at　any　minute。　There　remains　…　his　car。　As　I　say；　he　was　under　surveillance。　He　was　followed　on　that　day　to　Monte　Carlo。　From　there　he　went　by　road　to　Mentone；　driving　himself。　His　car　is　a　very　powerful　one；　it　outdistanced　his　pursuers　and　for　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour　they　pletely　lost　sight　of　him。〃

〃And　during　that　time　you　think　he　concealed　something　by　the　roadside？〃　asked　Van　Aldin；　keenly　interested。

〃By　the　roadside；　no。　？a　n'est　pas　pratique。　But　listen　now　…　me；　I　have　made　a　little　suggestion　to　M。　Carrege。　He　is　graciously　pleased　to　approve　of　it。　In　each　Bureau　de　Poste　in　the　neighbourhood　it　has　been　seen　to　that　there　is　someone　who　knows　the　te　de　la　Roche　by　sight。　Because；　you　see；　Messieurs；　the　best　way　of　hiding　a　thing　is　by　sending　it　away　by　the　post。〃

〃Well？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin；　his　face　was　keenly　alight　with　interest　and　expectation。

〃Well　…〃　With　a　dramatic　flourish　Poirot　drew　out　from　his　pocket　a　loosely　wrapped　brown　paper　package　from　which　the　string　had　been　removed。

〃During　that　quarter　of　an　hour's　interval；　our　good　gentleman　mailed　this。〃

〃The　address？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。

Poirot　nodded　his　head。

〃Might　have　told　us　something；　but　unfortunately　it　does　not。　The　package　was　addressed　to　one　of　these　little　newspaper　shops　in　Paris　where　letters　and　parcels　are　kept　until　called　for　on　payment　of　a　small　mission。〃

〃Yes；　but　what　is　inside？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin　impatiently。

Poirot　unwrapped　the　brown　paper　and　disclosed　a　square　cardboard　box。　He　looked　round　him。

〃It　is　a　good　moment；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃All　eyes　are　on　the　te