"
"Nod or shake your head if you find your voice failing," advised
Lieutenant Gordon, and the big fellow expressed his satisfaction
with the arrangement by a look.
"Was Mr. Cameron working at his desk when you left him?"
An emphatic nod.
"Then that clears Don Miguel," said Nestor. "Who next entered the room?"
Big Bob glanced toward Jim Scoby, still snarling at the group.
"Was Felix with him?"
"Yes; Felix and myself," was the unexpected reply.
"It is a lie!" shouted Scoby. "I never saw him that night."
"You'll see stars in a minute, if you have got a broken leg, if you
keep on interrupting!" said the secret service man, and Scoby
subsided for the time being.
"Was the door locked when you entered?"
A nod from Big bob.
"And was Mr. Cameron there, sitting with the door locked, still at
work at his desk?" was the next question.
"He was not there. He had been called away."
This was a new feature of the case, for Nestor had not considered
Mr. Cameron's absence from the room as among the possibilities.
"Was he out of the building?" he asked.
Big Bob shook his head.
"And while he was away you three entered with the false key?"
Another nod. Fremont motioned for him to go on, but Nestor laid a
hand on his shoulder.
"Let me see if I can't help you," he said. "I think I can state
the case now. You were waiting about the building to secure the
Tolford papers, and Scoby and Felix were with you. After the
departure of Don Miguel you caused a telephone call to be sent
to Mr.
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