Miss Sterling met his whimsical look with puzzled eyes. Then, as the meaning dawned, "Oh!" she cried, a little blushing laugh keeping the word company.
"Do you always lock your door when you go away?"
"Never," she answered,—"then or at any time; we are not allowed to lock our rooms."
"She told me you were out, and that your door would be locked; but
I said I had a skeleton key in my pocket, and went on."
"You quite outwitted her," she laughed. "I don't understand why she should lie about it."
"I have been there several times and inquired for you," he resumed; "and was always told that you were not in."
A flush of surprise pinked her face. "I never heard anything of it," she said regretfully.
"So Polly Dudley told me. I saw her this morning."
"Oh, did you!" she cried eagerly.
"She was in my office for an hour or two. We have been blind as moles, the whole gang of us!" he added in a disgusted tone. "We have trusted that woman with everything—to your sorrow and ours! I hope the officers will see it as I do, but—I don't know. Miss Sterling,"—he turned to her with a brighter tone in his voice,—"do you remember when I used to come to your house to consult your father—and you would entertain me while I was waiting for him?"