“Did no one see him slip out of the door into the hall?” asked Douglas.
“No. Unfortunately the messenger, who sits near my door, had gone into the room across the corridor. The man made a quick getaway, and luck broke with him, for no one noticed him leaving the building.”
“How do you know he isn’t hiding somewhere?” inquired Douglas.
“If he is, he will be captured, for Chief Connor and a number of Secret Service men are searching the building.”
“When did you discover the plans of the battleships were missing?”
Wyndham swore softly. “That’s the devilish part of it,” he said bitterly. “As soon as I realized the man had really run away I glanced over my papers. Everything seemed to be all right. I pulled open this drawer,” opening it as he spoke, “and saw these blue prints lying exactly as I had placed them under this folded newspaper. I slammed the drawer shut, thinking my strange visitor was simply a harmless lunatic, who had probably read about Carew’s death until he became obsessed with the subject, and dismissed the matter from my mind.”
“Was this drawer locked when your strange visitor was admitted?”
“No.”
“Then anyone might have stolen the papers,” exclaimed the Secretary of State in surprise.
Wyndham reddened. “No, they could not. The only time I’ve been out of this room was when I ran out looking for aid for that miserable scoundrel. That is the only chance there has been to steal the papers.”