When I questioned him he was
extremely clear and quick in his answers. His story is that the extra
servants all departed before my guests did, and that he personally saw
them each one leave and locked the door after them. Then, after the
guests had gone he locked up the other rooms very carefully and went to
bed. This morning he got up early and put the whole apartment in order;
and he is positive, and when Tatsu is positive he is not apt to be
mistaken, that neither the photographs nor the maps were on that table,
nor indeed anywhere in the rooms at five o'clock in the morning."

The Mariposa listened attentively to what he had to say, and then thought
deeply for a few moments.

"There are only two possible explanations of the whole affair, which are
in the least plausible," she said at last. "One is that some interested
person or persons have heard of your find. It might be some prospector
who has been tracking you for weeks, and he, or they may have stolen the
papers with a view of communicating with the owners, whom they may know
and whom they may fancy that you have not discovered. Your valet may or
may not be a tool, that remains to be discovered. Well," resolutely, "in
that case there is nothing to fear, I can assure you of that.

"The other hypothesis is that one of the guests had a motive for removing
those especial maps and photographs, thus securing possession of them.
But who and why?" As she pondered this question an expression of most
startled and amused surprise swept over her face, and then she burst out
laughing. "How funny!" she cried. "How awfully funny!" The peals of her
silver laughter rang through the room.

"What is so awfully funny?" inquired Hayden politely, but with an
irritation he could not conceal. "I assure you, it does not seem funny to
me."

Ydo had evidently recovered her spirits; the sparkle had come back to her
eyes, the color to her cheeks. "Don't bother any more," she counseled
blithely. "It's all going to turn out right now. You see."

"I should prefer to know how." Hayden's irritation was increasing instead
of diminishing, and he spoke more stiffly than before. "As it is a matter
which concerns me primarily and which has caused me much worry I think it
only fair that you should share with me the knowledge which seems to
justify you in drawing such happy conclusions."

Hayden would never again be nearer losing his temper completely than he
was at this moment, for Ydo, after