“You keep some valuable goods down here?” he asked.
“Have any of these other cases been examined? Your visitors may not have confined their attention to the one line of goods.”
“No. They were all broken, and would not show tampering so easily. Had I better have them all examined?”
“That you’ll have to settle yourself,” said Mr. Fitler, smiling. “It might be best for your peace of mind not to know all you have lost.”
He was walking now down the room, his keen eyes wandering from side to side, noting every detail.
“Do those goods come in that rumpled condition?” he asked, stopping beside a case of light dress goods.
“They don’t look as smooth as they might, that’s a fact,” said Wilson, as he partly opened a roll of the stuff. It was somewhat creased and wrinkled.
They had fallen upon a portion of Will’s bed which he had rolled up again rather hastily.
“I think I will have these few cases recounted,” said Mr. Leonard. “They are new goods, and we can easily tell what sales have been made from them. Send Mr. Brown down here, and Will,” he called up the stairs.
While he was waiting for the appearance of these parties, and putting them to work, Mr. Fitler walked on, continuing his investigation. He examined the windows at the end of the room with the greatest care.
“The thieves did not enter by the windows, that’s clear,” said the officer. “What arrangements have you in front?”
“By iron doors, which are locked at night.”
“That could not be safely used,” said the officer, “even if left unlocked. Market street is too public, at any hour of the night, for heavy operations like these. The door at the head of the stairs is always locked at night?”
“I think so. Those are my orders,” said Mr. Leonard, joining them.
The officer had proceeded to the front of the store and was examining the elevator.
“But, how then did they enter?” asked Mr. Leonard, anxiously. “They must have found some means of access from without.”
“They must have made entry into the store in some way, and then have worked down into the cellar.”
“We have examined the doors and windows. They do not seem to have been tampered with.”
“I will take a look at them,” said the officer. “Who opens the store in the morning?”
“Mr. Brown, the man you see at work there, usually.”