"If this is true, my money should be right," said Manuel sharply.
"It is not in the safe!" cried Vass wildly. "When Captain Manuel came to-day to ask for his money, I told him that I could not give it to him as I had no authority to do so. He wished then to see if it was all right, so in his presence I opened the safe, only to find that the notes were gone."
"Well Mr. Grent could not have taken them," said Leighbourne.
"No, no," said Vass; "He did not. I tell you he locked the safe in my presence."
"Could he not have returned?" asked Torry.
"Not without someone in the bank seeing him."
"But after office hours?"
"Even then the porter would have seen him," groaned Vass, who seemed very wretched. "There are only two entrances to the bank, and James, the porter has the keys of both. No one can go or come without passing him; he is bound to see all who enter."
"Did you ask him if Mr. Grent returned?"
"Yes--but he says no! Like myself, he saw Mr. Grent last on Friday."