“He is the secretary and treasurer of a small manufacturing concern, of which I am the chief owner, and he is my representative in that affair.”
“Now, as to his associations?”
“He is a member of an athletic club and spends most of his leisure hours with its members, and, I have inquired to learn, they are a very proper set of young men, whose chief aim is to bring their physical powers to as near a point of perfection as possible.”
“What is that organization?”
“The Grecian Athletic Club.”
Nick made a memorandum of this club, and turned his attention to the safe in the dining-room.
A close investigation satisfied him that, by some means, the combination had been found, and the safe opened without force. He also found what had not been observed by Mr. Herron—that the draperies in the parlor had been used to wrap up the plate taken from the safe. Going to the smaller safe in Mrs. Herron’s room, there were also indications that that safe had been opened in a like manner.
Mr. Herron had stood by silently while the detective was making these investigations, and when Nick turned from them he asked:
“Well?”
“I told you this morning,” said Nick, “that I believed skillful and professional burglars had been at work here. A second examination satisfies me that I was right in that statement, and I go further and say that a skillful lockman was at work.”