Vance wheeled round.
“I’m not interested in what you can do or can’t do. I’m going to search this house. . . . Sergeant, are you with me?” There was a strange look on his face.
“You bet your sweet life!” (I never liked Heath as much as at that moment.)
The search was begun in the basement. Every hallway, every closet, every cupboard and waste space was inspected. Pyne, completely cowed by Heath’s vindictiveness, acted as guide. He brought keys and opened doors for us, and even suggested places we might otherwise have overlooked. The Sergeant had thrown himself into the hunt with energy, though I am sure he had only a vague idea as to its object. Markham followed us disapprovingly; but he, too, had been caught in the sweep of Vance’s dynamic purposefulness; and he must have realized that Vance had some tremendous justification for his rash conduct.
Gradually we worked our way upward through the house. The library and Arnesson’s room were gone over carefully. Belle Dillard’s apartment was scrutinized, and close attention was given to the unused rooms on the third floor. Even the servants’ quarters on the fourth floor were overhauled. But nothing suspicious was discovered. Though Vance suppressed his eagerness I could tell what a nervous strain he was under by the tireless haste with which he pushed the search.
Eventually we came to a locked door at the rear of the upper hall.
“Where does that lead?” Vance asked Pyne.
“To a little attic room, sir. But it’s never used——”
“Unlock it.”
The man fumbled for several moments with his bunch of keys.