lay the clue to the mystery. Let me work it out.

And then, as my wits began groping, comprehension came to me--a sudden
comprehension that left me stunned and dazed: The open trunk, the thief,
the descent by the fire-escape, the girl's calm denial, turning us from
the suspected floor. Yes, the girl! Heavens, what a blind dolt I had
been! No wonder that Van Blarcom had felt moved to say a helping word
for me, as for a congenital idiot not responsible for his acts!

"When you are ready--" the lieutenant was remarking. I pulled myself
together as hastily as I could.

"First," I began, with all the resolution I could muster, "I want to
say that I am as much at a loss as you are about this thing. I never set
eyes upon those papers until this evening. Why, man alive, I insisted
on the search! I asked you to examine the wallet! Do you think I did all
that to establish my own guilt?"

"We'll keep to the point, please." His very politeness was ill omened.
"The papers were in your baggage. Can you explain how they came there?"

"I am going to try," I answered coolly. "To begin with, I can vouch for
it that they were not there two weeks ago when my man packed the trunk.
That I can swear to, for I glanced through the letters before handing
him the wallet; and when he had finished packing I locked the trunk and
went yachting for five days."

"And your luggage? Did it go with you?" queried the Englishman.

"No; it didn't. It remained in the baggage-room of my apartment house;