“No. I have been once or twice.”

“This is the only time you found Batchelor here?”

“No; about a fortnight ago he was here with Smith. I found them both in this room.”

“What were they doing?”

“They were writing something at the table. They were in a great rage with me when I came in.”

“Was the safe open at the time?”

Hawkesbury had got past the stage of sticking at trifles.

“Yes,” he said; “when I came in it was. But they made a rush and turned me out of the room and locked the door. And then when I came in again it was shut.”

“And did you mention this to anybody?”

“No.”