“But if they have secured the papers—”
The lieutenant hesitated, and Nestor went on:
“If they have secured the papers, they know no more now than they did before. They are not out after information concerning their own plots. They are trying to reduce the outside supply of knowledge about their movements.”
“There was nothing said about papers being stolen, was there?” asked the lieutenant. “Perhaps the necklace really was the point of attack.”
Nestor turned to George Tolford.
“Do you know where Frank kept his necklace?” he asked.
“Sure I do,” was the quick reply. “He kept it in a hinky-dinky little safe up in his room. I told him he was foolish to take such a risk with it.”
“Did he keep the safe locked?”
“Locked! Not half the time. He would rush in there, open it up, and then run all over the house, leaving the door swinging.”
Nestor and the lieutenant now left the room, after asking the boys to wait there for a short time. Once out on the street, the lieutenant remarked: