"One of the classics of modern crime fiction." —  The New York Times While London dockworkers are struggling to unload a shipment of French wine, one of the heavy casks falls, shatters and reveals its cargo — sawdust, gold coins, and a female corpse. But by the time the police arrive, the barrel has vanished along with its macabre contents. Enter Inspector Burnley of Scotland Yard, who traces the cask to Paris, where he enlists the help of detective M. Lefarge of the Sûreté. Together, they hunt for the identity of the anonymous victim and her devious killer, traversing a maze of clues, alibis, red herrings, and lies. This top-notch procedural, along with Agatha Christie's first novel, marked the start of the golden age of the detective story. Freeman Wills Crofts, one of the "Big Four" mystery writers of the era, provides fascinating insights into early twentieth-century methods of murder investigation as well as atmospheric glimpses of the shipping business in London and Paris in the years after World War I. Irish-English mystery author Freeman Wills Crofts (1879–1957) was one of the "Big Four" writers of the golden age of detective fiction. After the publication of his first novel, The Cask, in 1920, he produced a book a year for nearly 30 years, including Antidote to Venom, The 12:30 from Croydon, and Inspector French's Greatest Case. The Cask By Freeman Wills Crofts Dover Publications, Inc. Copyright © 2019 Freeman Wills Crofts All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-486-83441-2 Contents PART 1 — LONDON, 1. A Strange Consignment, 1, 2. Inspector Burnley on the Track, 15, 3. The Watcher on the Wall, 25, 4. A Midnight Interview, 31, 5. Felix Tells a Story, 38, 6. The Art of Detection, 47, 7. The Cask at Last, 60, 8. The Opening of the Cask, 69, PART 2 — PARIS, 9. M. Le Chef de la Sûreté, 75, 10. Who Wrote the Letter?, 83, 11. MM. Dupierre et Cie, 92, 12. At the Gare St. Lazare, 98, 13. The Owner of the Dress, 106, 14. M. Boirac Makes a Statement, 113, 15. The House in the Avenue de l'Alma, 119, 16. Inspector Burnley Up Against It, 128, 17. A Council of War, 138, 18. Lefarge Hunts Alone, 148, 19. The Testing of an Alibi, 159, 20. Some Damning Evidence, 171, PART 3 — LONDON AND PARIS, 21. A New Point of View, 183, 22. Felix Tells a Second Story, 191, 23. Clifford Gets to Work, 205, 24. Mr. Georges La Touche, 213, 25. Disappointment, 220, 26. A Clue at Last, 227, 27. La Touche's Dilemma, 240, 28. The Unravelling of the Web, 253, 29. A Dramatic Dénouement, 262, 30. Conclusion, 279, CHAPTER 1 PART 1 — LONDON 1. A Strange Consignment Mr. Avery, managing director of the Insular and Continental Steam Navigation Company, had just arrived at his office. He glanced at his inward letters, ran his eye over his list of engagements for the day, and inspected the return of the movements of his Company's steamers. Then, after spending a few moments in thought, he called his chief clerk, Wilcox. "I see the Bullfinch is in this morning from Rouen," he said. "I take it she'll have that consignment of wines for Norton and Banks?" "She has," replied the chief clerk, "I've just rung up the dock office to inquire." "I think we ought to have it specially checked from here. You remember all the trouble they gave us about the last lot. Will you send some reliable man down? Whom can you spare?" "Broughton could go. He has done it before." "Well, see to it, will you, and then send in Miss Johnson, and I shall go through the mail." The office was the headquarters of the Insular and Continental Steam Navigation Company, colloquially known as the I. and C., and occupied the second floor of a large block of buildings at the western end of Fenchurch Street. The Company was an important concern, and owned a fleet of some thirty steamers ranging from 300 to 1000 tons burden, which traded between London and the smaller Continental ports. Low freights was their specialty, but they did not drive their boats, and no attempt was made to compete with the more expensive routes in the matter of speed. Under these circumstances they did a large trade in all kinds of goods other than perishables. Mr. Wilcox picked up some papers and stepped over to the desk at which Tom Broughton was working. "Broughton," he said, "Mr. Avery wants you to go down at once to the docks and check a consignment of wines for Norton and Banks. It came in last night from Rouen in the Bullfinch. These people gave us a lot of trouble about their last lot, disputing our figures, so you will have to be very careful. Here are the invoices, and don't take the men's figures but see each cask yourself." "Right, sir," replied Broughton, a young fellow of three-and-twenty, with a frank, boyish face and an alert manner. Nothing loath to exchange the monotony of the office for the life and bustle of the quays, he put away his books, stowed the invoices carefully in his pocket, took his hat and went quickly down the st