ester's disappearance added color to the
detective's charges. Why was he hiding unless from guilty motives, and
where had he gone? Kent shook a bewildered head.

"It is plausible," he conceded, "but, after all, only circumstantial
evidence."

"Well, circumstantial evidence is good enough for me to work on,"
retorted Ferguson. "On discovering that the telegram from Cleveland was
a hoax, I concluded Ferguson might be lurking around Washington and
so sent a description of him to the different precincts and secured a
search warrant."

"You did?"

"Yes. Armed with it I visited Mr. Rochester's apartment, but couldn't
find a clew to his present whereabouts," admitted Ferguson. "So then I
went to your office, Mr. Kent, and ransacked the firm's safe."

"Confound you!" Kent leaned forward in his wrath and shook his fist at
the detective. "What right had you to do such a thing?"

"The search warrant covered it," explained Ferguson. "I could look
through your safe, Mr. Kent, because Rochester was your senior partner
and you shared the office together; I was within the law."

"Perhaps you were," Kent controlled his anger with an effort. "But I had
told you I did not know Rochester's whereabouts before I showed you the
Cleveland telegram, which you claim is bogus."

"It's bogus, all right," insisted the detective. "I thought it
just possible I might find some paper which would give me a clew to
Rochester's hiding place, so I went through the safe."

"How did you get it open?" asked Kent.

"I found it open."

Kent leapt to his feet. "You--found--it open!"--he stammered. "Why,
man, I locked that safe securely just before I left the office at six
o'clock."

"Sure?"

"Absolutely certain."

"Were you alone?"

"Yes, all alone. Sylvester left at five o'clock"

"Who knew the combination of the safe?"

"Only Rochester and I."

It was Ferguson's turn to spring up "By--!" he exclaimed. "I thought
the electric bulbs in the office felt warm, as if they had recently been
burning--Rochester must have been there just before me."

"It would seem that Rochester is still in the city," remarked Clymer.
"Do you know, Kent, whether he had his office keys with him?"

"I presume so," Kent slipped his hand inside his pocket and took out a
bunch of keys. "He left these duplicates in his desk at the office."

"Sure they are duplicates?" questioned Ferguson, and Kent flushed.

"I know they are," he retorted. "Rochester had them made