"Ah," murmured Gatton. "Now give me the keys," and as the man did so: "Throughout all this time did you see or hear anything of an unusual nature?"
Bolton removed his bowler once more. I had gathered by this time that he regarded fresh air as an aid to reflection.
"Well, sir," he replied in a puzzled way, "that first door—"
"Well," said Gatton, as the man hesitated.
"It seemed to open more easily just now than it did last night. There seemed to be a sort of hitch before when it was about half-way open."
"Perhaps the crate was in the way?" suggested Gatton. "Except for the absence of the crate do you notice anything different, anything missing, or anything there now that was not there before?"
Bolton shook his head.
"No," he answered; "it looks just the same to me—except, as I say, that the door seemed to open more easily."
"H'm," muttered Gatton; "and you carried the keys in your pocket until you went off duty?"
"Yes, sir."