Then he turned to Mr. Whittier. "I have something to tell you both," he said, "and I want the Major here while I tell you. Paul, may I trouble you to see that the door is closed so that we are out of hearing?"
"Certainly," Paul responded, as he closed the door.
"Well, Wheatcroft," Mr. Whittier said, "what is all this mystery of yours now?"
The junior partner swung around in his chair and faced Mr. Whittier.
"My mystery?" he cried. "It's the mystery that puzzled us all, and I've solved it."
"What do you mean?" asked the senior partner.
"What I mean is, that somebody has been opening that safe there in the corner, and reading our private letter-book, and finding out what we were bidding on important contracts. What I mean is, that this man has taken this information, filched from us, and sold it to our competitors, who were not too scrupulous to buy stolen goods!"
"We all suspected this, as you know," the elder Whittier said; "have you anything new to add to it now?"
"Haven't I?" returned Mr. Wheatcroft. "I've found the man! That's all!"
"You, too?" ejaculated Paul.