“It has, within the last half an hour.”

“Then it is not known if that safe has been robbed?”

“It is not.”

“Where is this safe?”

“In a small room back of the dining room.”

Barnes led the way thither.

Reaching the room the detective inquired:

“Who has recently been in this room?”

“Nobody but myself and the housekeeper.”

Looking sharply and swiftly about him the detective was only the fraction of a minute in arriving at a conclusion.