"Mondays and Thursdays."
"To-night. I'll look in to-night."
"But—"
"I may find the solution to the theft at your club," I said. The suggestion seemed to annoy him.
That the safe had been opened with a key and not broken open indicated that some one connected with the church was directly or indirectly responsible for the theft, and this idea was strengthened by the fact that it was impossible to tell how the robbers had entered the church. The verger had come in as usual that morning by the north door which he had found locked, and it was subsequently ascertained that all the other doors were locked. Some of you may know the church and remember that it is rather dark, its windows few and high up; indeed, only by one of the baptistry windows could an entry possibly have been effected, and I could find nothing to suggest that this method had been used. A few keen questions did not cause the verger to contradict himself in the slightest particular, and his fifteen years' service seemed to exonerate him.
"Is it possible that you left the door unlocked last night by mistake?"
I queried.
"I should have found it open this morning," he said, as if he were surprised at my overlooking this point.
I had not overlooked it. I was wondering whether he had found it open and was concealing the fact, fearing dismissal for his carelessness.
A little later I had a private talk with the vicar.
"I think you had better tell me your suspicions," I said.