have gone away from here heavily laden?"

Senor Rodriguez nodded.

"And now, Senor," Mr. Grimm continued, "if you will kindly state the
circumstances immediately preceding and following the theft?"

A slight frown which had been growing upon the smooth brow of the
diplomatist was instantly dissipated.

"The money--fifty thousand dollars in gold coin--was paid to me
yesterday afternoon about four o'clock," he began slowly, in
explanation.

"By Mr. Cressy of the International Investment Company," supplemented
Mr. Grimm. "Yes. Go on."

The diplomatist favored the young man with one sharp, inquiring glance,
and continued:

"The gentleman who paid the money remained here from four until nine
o'clock while I, personally, counted it. As I counted it I placed it in
canvas bags and when he had gone I took these bags from this room into
that," he indicated a closed door to his right, "and personally stowed
them away in the safe. I closed and locked the door of the safe myself;
I _know_ that it _was_ locked. And that's all, except this morning the
money was gone--every dollar of it."

"Safe blown?" inquired Mr. Grimm.

"No, Senor!" exclaimed the diplomatist with sudden violence. "No, the
safe was not blown! It was _closed and locked_, exactly as I had left
it!"

Mr. Grimm was idly twisting the seal ring on his little finger.

"Just as I left it!" Senor Rodriguez repeated excitedly. "Last night
after I locked the safe door I tried it to make certain that it _was_
locked. I happened to notice then that the pointer on the dial had
stopped precisely at number forty-five. This morning, when I unlocked
the safe--and, of course, I didn't know then that the money had been
taken--the pointer was still at number forty-five."

He paused with one hand in the air; Mr. Grimm continued to twist the
seal ring.

"It was all like--like some trick on the stage," the minister went on,
"like the magician's disappearing lady, or--or--! It was as though I had
not put the money into the safe at all!"

"Did you?" inquired Mr. Grimm amiably.

"Did I?" blazed Senor Rodriguez. "Why, Senor--! I did!" he concluded
meekly.

Mr. Grimm believed him.

"Who else knows the combination of the safe?" he queried.

"No one, Senor--not a living soul."

"Your secretary, for instance?"

"Not even my secretary."

"Some servant--some member of your family?"

"I tell you, Senor, not one person in all the world knew that
combination except myse