You are hinting
at the possibility of a thief coming in through a reception-room
window while we were somewhat noisy over our wine. I think such a
solution highly improbable. My rooms are on the third floor, and a
thief would scarcely venture to make an entrance when he could not but
know there was a company being entertained. Besides this, the coat was
there less than an hour, and it appears to me that whoever stole those
notes knew where they were.'
'That seems reasonable,' I had to admit. 'Have you spoken to any one
of your loss?';
'To no one but Dacre, who recommended me to see you. Oh, yes, and to
Johnson, of course.'
I could not help noting that this was the fourth or fifth time Dacre's
name had come up during our conversation.
'What of Dacre?' I asked.
'Oh, well, you see, he occupies chambers in the same building on the
ground floor. He is a very good fellow, and we are by way of being
firm friends. Then it was he who had called attention to the money, so
I thought he should know the sequel.'
'How did he take your news?'
'Now that you call attention to the fact, he seemed slightly troubled.
I should like to say, however, that you must not be misled by that.
Lionel Dacre could no more steal than he could lie.
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