“You may count on me, of course,� replied the doctor, who had been listening intently.
“Doctor,â€� said the detective, turning toward him, “I called upon Mr. Lynne at his home in the city this morning. It was my intention to tell him then, more or less, about what I had discovered here—while I was there, chief, your man came and made his report, but I don’t think he saw me.â€�
“Huh; that isn’t strange. He wouldn’t see the moon at night if he wasn’t told to look at it, and then he wouldn’t see all there was of it.�
“Well, Mr. Carter?� said the doctor. “You were about to suggest something to me?�
“Yes. When I went to Mr. Lynne’s house I found him preparing to come out here. He had made all his arrangements to start early. His errand was to take something from a private vault that is built under the north wing.�
The chief nodded as if he understood. The doctor looked surprised.
“When this news was made known to him,� the detective continued, “he asked me to come here with him, and it was while on the way out that he told me about the vault. Now, he intends to visit it before he returns to the city, and for reasons of my own I wish to be with him when he does so. I am quite sure that he will have no objections to that arrangement.�
“I don’t know about that,� interrupted the chief. “He has always been mighty particular about that vault, and it surprises me that he even told you of its existence.�
“Well, he did tell me. The point is this, doctor.�
“Yes?�