"However," continued I, "while you two are together there are some points upon which I want enlightenment. Reserve your personalities for another time. Is it positive that there was no one else in the house besides yourselves and Mr. Page?"
Neither spoke, each waiting, as it seemed, for the other to reply. My glance travelled between the two, and finally settled upon the secretary, whose long, nervous fingers were beating a silent tattoo upon the table.
"How about it, Mr. Burke?" I pressed him. "Your familiarity with the house entitles you to answer."
"I can take oath there was not," he now said. Stodger had already assured me that when he arrived every door and window was fast on the inside. So I next asked:
"When you went to notify the police, did you depart by way of the front door?"
"I did," he replied in a subdued voice. And Maillot immediately added:
"It was fast, Swift—bolt and spring-latch, both. I remember because the fact made me think there might be somebody else in the house. As soon as Burke left I went over the whole place, methodically and painstakingly, and I can now swear, if anybody was secreted in here anywhere, why, he 's here yet. I inspected every door and window, upstairs and down; all were fast."
The unbroken, spotless mantle of snow outside limited the possibility of ingress or egress without leaving betraying footprints, to either the front or the rear door, where the paths had been kept clear.
Dismissing this nonplussing phase, I turned to the subject of the gem once more.
"Regarding the ruby, Mr. Burke," said I, "do you know where Mr. Page kept it?"