He found the handle, and pressed it down slowly; without a creak or a whine of the hinges the door swung open towards him.

Through the clatter he could hear that the manufacturer of Perpignan was snoring.

But Hillyard did not put his trust in snores.

He crept with bare feet across the washing-room, and, easing over the handle of the further door, locked the manufacturer out.

Again there had been no sound.