He waited upon Mrs. Sanderson, who made him acquainted with all the facts connected with the case.
Mr. Wrench considered the matter over, examined the premises, listened to the voluble landlady’s account of the matter, after which he arrived at one conclusion—it was this, that the robbery was not committed by anyone engaged in the establishment, but by a thief, who, by some means only known to himself and his confederates, effected an entrance into the premises after the household had retired to bed.
Mrs. Sanderson said she could not believe that possible, as all the locks were exactly in the same state in the morning as they were when the household retired for the night.
Mr. Wrench smiled and said—
“Is the outer door bolted when you close?”
“No, it is never bolted,” returned the widow; “and for this reason. My regular customers, those who are likely to be late, are supplied with keys with which they can let themselves in. It is only those who have used the house for a number of years, and who are well known to me, that I entrust with keys, and then it is only on special occasions.”
“And these are gentlemen you have full confidence in?”
“Oh, dear me, yes. They are of the highest respectability.”
“Ahem—yes—I dare say,” observed the detective. “Knavery is not confined to a class, Mrs. Sanderson.”
“My dear sir, you would not for a moment suspect——”