"And this is the drawer—thoroughly searched, of course?"
"Oh, certainly, every drawer was taken out and turned over."
"Well, of course, I must assume you made no mistake in your hunt. Now tell me, did anybody know where these plans were, beyond yourself and your two men?"
"I WAS STANDING AT THE BOOKCASE."
"As far as I can tell, not a soul."
"You don't keep an office-boy?"
"No. There would be nothing for him to do except to post a letter now and again, which Ritter does quite well for."
"As you are quite sure that the drawings were there at ten o'clock, perhaps the thing scarcely matters. But I may as well know if your men have keys of the office?"
"Neither. I have patent locks to each door and I keep all the keys myself. If Worsfold or Ritter arrive before me in the morning, they have to wait to be let in; and I am always present myself when the rooms are cleaned. I have not neglected precautions, you see."