Grimm stared at it curiously for a long time.

"It's the same handkerchief?"

"_Si, Señor_."

"There's no doubt whatever about it?"

"No, Señor, I got it by--!"

"It's of no consequence," interrupted Mr. Grimm. "Now the servants,
please--the men first."

The first of the men servants was in the room two minutes; the
second--the butler--was there five minutes; one of the women was not
questioned at all; the other remained ten minutes. Mr. Grimm followed
her into the hall; Señor Rodriguez stood there helpless, impatient.

"Well?" he demanded eagerly.

"I'm going out a little while," replied Mr. Grimm placidly. "No one has
even an intimation of the affair--please keep the matter absolutely to
yourself until I return."

That was all. The door opened and closed, and he was gone.

At the end of an hour he returned, passed on through to the
diplomatist's private office, sat down in front of the locked safe
again, and set the dial at thirty-six. Señor Rodriguez looked on,
astonished, as Mr. Grimm pressed the soft rubber sounder of a