"'It is undoubtedly gone,' said our reporter.
"'It do look like it, sir.'
"'Mrs. Middlemore, when M. Felix was found dead in his chair, was this desk in either of the rooms?'
"'I didn't see it, sir.'
"'You could not swear it was not here?'
"'I shouldn't like to, sir.'
"'The probability, however, is that it had gone when the door was forced open?'
"'Yes, sir.'
"'The police could scarcely take it away without your knowledge?'
"'They'd 'ave been clever to do it.'