isamysterynovellikely written during the early 20th century. The story revolves around Sey mour Merriman, a junior partner in a wine merchants' firm, who encoun ters an intriguing situation while on a business trip in France. The narra tive begins with Merriman's journey to Bordeaux, where a peculiar incident concerning a motor lorry and its changing number plate sparks his curios ity, hinting at a deeper mystery related to the operations of a sawmill. At the start of the novel, Merriman, feeling weary and disillusioned after a long ride, encounters a girl named MadeleineCoburninaremotepartofthefor est. She helps him with his motorcycle troubles and invites him to the mill, which her father manages. However, Merriman becomes intrigued by the lorry he had seen earlier, marked with different numbers at different times. As he contemplates the implications of this change and the mysterious aura surrounding the Coburns, he decides to investigate further. The opening chapters set the stage for a mix of mystery and adventure as Merriman and his friend, Hilliard, plan to uncover potential secrets behind the mill's oper ations and the enigmatic numberplates, whilealsoexploringtheirburgeon ing interests in the Coburns. Merriman was tired; tired of the jolting saddle of his motor bi cycle, of the cramped position of his arms, of the chug of the engine, and mostofall, ofthedreary,barrencountrythroughwhichhewasriding. Early that morninghehad leftPau,andwiththeexceptionofanhourandahalfat Bayonne, where he had lunched and paid a short business call, he had been at it ever since. It was now after five o'clock, and the last post he had no ticed showed him he was still twenty-six kilometers from Bordeaux, where he intended to spend the night
