"Why, Mr. Grent gave me his private key."
"Oh, I understand; but," added Darrel, "if you were to take away the money, and Captain Manuel was to be told in the afternoon that he could see it in the safe, the whole thing would come out, as the money would not be there for him to see."
"Not at all. You forget that it was Saturday, and Captain Manuel could not look into the safe before Monday morning. Now, my uncle intended to give the money to Centa on Saturday night, and then go off to Italy; so, you see, there was absolutely no danger."
"A very pretty plot," said Darrel drily. "So you agreed to assist in it?"
Donna Maria flushed red, and responded rather haughtily: "I am from Lima, and I know how terrible is the vengeance of the Peruvian Patriots when they are betrayed. I assisted my uncle to save his life."
"So it all fell out as planned?"
"Yes! Mr. Grent took the money up on Friday, and placed it in the safe, with Mr. Vass as a witness. Then he went to his rooms, and telegraphed to me to do my part. I went up on Saturday morning on the pretence of getting the tickets, and saw Mr. Vass in my uncle's private room. To get rid of him, I asked him for a glass of water. He left the room, and I at once opened the safe with the key given to me by my uncle. When Mr. Vass returned with the water the safe was locked again, and I had the notes in my pocket. In the afternoon I went to Mr. Grent's rooms, and gave him the money; then I said good-bye, and came away: My uncle told me that he had seen Captain Manuel."
"Yes, I know Manuel called; Meek said so; and I suppose Grent told him to look into the safe on Monday. As a matter of fact, he did not do so until Tuesday or Wednesday, and then Vass discovered the loss. But tell me, how did Mr. Grent hope to pacify Manuel?"
"By absence. He intended to write from Italy, and tell him that he had given the money to Centa; and, as he proposed to remain abroad for some time, he thought that Manuel's anger would abate, and he would not wish to harm him when he returned."
"I see," said Frank thoughtfully. "I must say that Mr. Grent provided for his own safety remarkably well."