“Then somebody must have been down since, and taken the treasure away.”
“Only two men could have done this, sir, Ramo and myself.”
“That throws it on to you,” said Artis.
“And my reputation, sir, will bear me out when I proclaim my innocence.”
“I don’t know,” said Artis. “Sudden temptation; kleptomania and that sort of thing.”
The old lawyer turned his back.
“Mr Gerard Artis, this is no time for such remarks as these,” said Capel. “Mr Girtle, what have you to say?”
“At present, nothing, sir. I am astounded. You know we came down on that dreadful morning, and found the chamber intact; besides it could not have been forced.”
“There were the keys,” said Artis.
“But they have never left my person. There were but the two sets of keys—the Colonel’s and mine. Those were the Colonel’s set that we found upon Ramo.”