making an
examination of them now, and will be able to report to you before night."

The Inspector was a man of little pretense. He felt startled and showed
it.

"But this is a serious matter, Gryce."

"Very serious."

"No mere visitor to the museum would have presumed upon this venture."

"No."

"Which means----"

"That some one actively connected with it had a guilty hand in this
deplorable affair."

"I am afraid so."

"Some one well acquainted with the existence of this door and who had
means of opening it. The question is--who?"

In saying this, Mr. Gryce studiously avoided the Inspector's eye; while
the Inspector in his turn looked up, then down--anywhere but in the
detective's direction. It was a moment of mutual embarrassment, broken,
when it was broken, by a remark which manifestly avoided the issue.

"Possibly those traces you speak of were not made at the time you
specify. They may have been made since, or they may have been made
before. Perhaps the Curator was curious and tried his hand at a little
detective work on his own account."

"He hadn't the chance. Every portion of the building has been very
thoroughly guarded since first we entered it. He may have gone up prior
to the shooting. That is open to dispute; but if he had done so, why did
he not inform us of the fact when he showed us the key? The Curator is
the soul of honor. He would hardly deceive us in so important a matter."

The quick glance which this elicited from the Inspector awoke no
corresponding flash in the eye of the imperturbable detective. He
continued to shake his head over the small object he was twirling
thoughtfully about between his thumb and finger, and only from his
general seriousness could the Inspector gather that his mind was no more
at rest than his fingers. Was this why his remark took the form of a
question?

"Where was the Curator when you forced open that door behind the
tapestry? Was he anywhere in the building?"

"No, sir; he has not been there to-day. He was ill last night, and he is
ill to-day. He sent us his excuses. If he had been in the building, I
doubt whether I would have given the order to burst open the door. I
would simply have requested him to use his key. And he would have done so
and kept his own counsel. I do not know as I can say as much for any of
his subordinates. Happily, no spying eye was about at that time; and
Stevens will be sure to see that he is not watched at his work if he