compel them to break it open, and your husband's case
against Bartlett will be so much stronger."

"I shall follow your advice, Mr. Tuller. But look, somebody is coming
already!" went on the fashionable woman, as a carriage turned in from
the road and came toward the horse block.

"I must get out of this! Can I go by a back door?"

"To be sure," said Mrs. Bangs, and showed the way. As Tuller slipped
out and passed toward the back road where Randy had had an encounter
with Bob Bangs, there came a ring at the front door.

"Good-morning, Mrs. Bangs," said Mr. Bartlett. "Is your husband at
home?"

"He is not," answered the fashionable woman, coldly.

"I've got a search warrant for this place," said the constable, pushing
his way in, and he proceeded to read the document aloud.

"This is an outrage!" cried Mrs. Bangs, with assumed dignity. "An
outrage, and you shall pay dearly for it, Mr. Bartlett. My husband is
no thief, to steal your papers."

"Perhaps not," answered Philip Bartlett. "Nevertheless, I am going to
have his safe searched and also this house."

"Well, since you have the law on your side, go ahead. But you shall
answer to my husband for this indignity."

The constable began his work, and the safe opener approached the strong
box and inspected it.

"Can you open it?" asked Mr. Bartlett, anxiously.

"With ease," was the answer. "This is one of the old-style safes."

"How much will it cost?"

"Ten dollars."

"Then go ahead."

The safe opener was soon at work. He turned the knob around slowly,
listening intently in the meanwhile. He worked thus for perhaps ten
minutes, when the door to the safe came open without an effort.

Mrs. Bangs was disappointed. She had expected that the safe would have
to be blown open in the most approved burglar fashion, and was
wondering what bill for damages she could render.

"You must have known the combination," she said, tartly, to the safe
opener.

"This is my business," was the quiet answer.

The constable, with Mr. Bartlett's aid, went through all the papers in
the safe. Of course the all-important documents were not found.

"Well?" asked the lawyer, after a long wait.

"They are not here," replied Mr. Bartlett. He felt sick at heart over
his failure to bring the papers to light.

"Not here!"

"No, they must have been removed."

The library was searched, and then a look was taken through the whole
house. Mrs. Bangs followed the men everywhere.