suddenly,

"I think I'll see that letter," he said.

John Lexman rose from the sofa, crossed to the safe, unlocked it
and was unlocking the steel drawer in which he had placed the
incriminating document. His hand was on the key when T. X.
noticed the look of surprise on his face.

"What is it!" asked the detective suddenly.

"This drawer feels very hot," said John, - he looked round as
though to measure the distance between the safe and the fire.

T. X. laid his hand upon the front of the drawer. It was indeed
warm.

"Open it," said T. X., and Lexman turned the key and pulled the
drawer open.

As he did so, the whole contents burst up in a quick blaze of
flame. It died down immediately and left only a little coil of
smoke that flowed from the safe into the room.

"Don't touch anything inside," said T. X. quickly.

He lifted the drawer carefully and placed it under the light. In
the bottom was no more than a few crumpled white ashes and a
blister of paint where the flame had caught the side.