The latter gentleman nodded, cast a glance around the room, during which his eye rested for a moment on Bertram’s somewhat pale countenance, and nervously took a seat.
“A mysterious piece of business, this,” came from the detective’s lips in an easy tone, calculated to relieve the tension of embarrassment into which the entrance of Mr. Stuyvesant seemed to have thrown all parties. “What were the numbers of the bonds found missing, if you please?”
Mr. Stuyvesant told him.
“You are positively assured these bonds were all in the box when you last locked it?”
“I am.”
“When was that, sir? On what day and at what hour of the day, if you please?”
“Tuesday, at about three o’clock, I should say.”
“The box was locked by you? There is no doubt about that fact?”
“None in the least.”
“Where were you standing at the time?”