leave.”

 

“Certainly,” agreed the secretary. “I’ll take you up now.... Oh! I forgot. The

door’s locked.”

 

Inquiry from Parker elicited the information that Inspector Raglan was in the

housekeeper’s room asking a few supplementary questions. A few minutes later the

inspector joined the party in the hall, bringing the key with him. He unlocked

the door and we passed into the lobby and up the small staircase. At the top of

the stairs the door into Ackroyd’s bedroom stood open. Inside the room it was

dark, the curtains were drawn, and the bed was turned down just as it had been

last night. The inspector drew the curtains, letting in the sunlight, and

Geoffrey Raymond went to the top drawer of a rosewood bureau.

 

“He kept his money like that, in an unlocked drawer. Just fancy,” commented the

inspector.

 

The secretary flushed a little.

 

“Mr. Ackroyd had perfect faith in the honesty of all the servants,” he said

hotly.

 

“Oh! quite so,” said the inspector hastily.

 

Raymond opened the drawer, took out a round leather collar-box from the back of