He looked at her abstractedly, and curtly shifted his revolver from his hip-pocket to his side-pocket. This caused a stir among the servants.
“Get those people out of here!” he ordered.
The resolute-browed young woman in the dressing-gown scattered them with a movement of the hand, and slipped a key into his fingers. Then she pointed to a doorway.
“This thing was half expected, ma’m, at Headquarters,” said Durkin hurriedly, as he fitted the key. “It’s a woman, isn’t it?”
The girl with the resolute brow and the tumbled hair could not say.
“But I think I understand,” she went on hurriedly. “I had quite a large sum of money, several thousand dollars, in my room here!”
Durkin, who had stooped to unlock the door, turned on her quickly.
“And it’s still in this room?” he demanded.
“No; it worried me too much. I was going to keep it, but I took it down to the bank, this afternoon.”
Then the girl said “Sir!” wonderingly; for Durkin had emitted a quick mutter of anger. They were doubly defeated. By this time the bedroom door was open.