He held the door open while Hal entered, then closed it.

"This way," he said, and led the way down the hall. Fortunately, he
turned into a room facing upon the street where Chester and Uncle John
waited without, though it was the room beyond the one beneath the
window of which they stood. But, Hal noticed, there was a door between
the two rooms.

"Ought to be easy enough," he told himself.

"You can wait here for Herr Robard," said the servant, and moved
to withdraw.

"This is the Herr Robard's private office, I take it," said Hal.

"You are wrong," was the reply. "His office is just across the hall. But
no one is allowed to enter there unless the Herr is with him, and the
door is always locked."

"I see," said Hal, mentally thanking the man for the information, which
had come a great deal easier than he had expected. "The Herr is a careful
man. It is as it should be."

"You can make yourself at home here until he comes," said the servant.
"There are magazines and books. I have other matters to attend to."

"All right," said Hal, for he now wished to get rid of the man without
more loss of time; he had gained all the information he could hope for
without laying himself open to suspicion.