Malcolm Sage glanced across at him and half rose.
"I'm all right, Sage," said Mr. Llewellyn John; "but coming after this awful day of anxiety, the news was almost too much for me."
"Who took it from the safe then?" enquired Sir Lyster. "I——" he stopped short as the door opened, and Miss Blair entered, notebook in hand, looking very dainty in a simple grey frock, relieved by a bunch of clove carnations at the waist. Closing the door behind her, she hesitated for a moment, a smile upon her moist, slightly-parted lips.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Miss Blair," began Sir Lyster, "but Mr.
Sage——" he paused.
"It was Miss Blair who removed the document from the safe," said Malcolm Sage quietly, his eyes bent upon the finger-tips of his right hand.
"Miss Blair!" cried Sir Lyster, his hand dropping from the mantelpiece to his side.
For the fraction of a second the girl stood just inside the door; then as the significance of Malcolm Sage's words dawned upon her, the smile froze upon her lips, the blood ebbed from her face, leaving it drawn and grey, and the notebook dropped from her fingers. She staggered forward a few steps, then, clutching wildly at the edge of the table, she swayed from side to side. With an obvious effort she steadied herself, her gaze fixed upon her accuser.
Slowly Malcolm Sage raised his eyes, cold, grey, inflexible, and fixed them upon the terrified girl.
The three Ministers appeared not yet to have realised the true nature of the drama being enacted before them.
"Miss Blair," said Malcolm Sage quietly, "what are your relations with Paul Cressit?"