Saying which Mr. Mitchel touched an electric-button and when it was
answered sent a message up-stairs asking Mr. Charles to come down. In a
few moments, that gentleman appeared.

"Mr. Charles," said Mr. Mitchel, "would it be possible for me to enter
these vaults without your knowledge?"

"It would be impossible for any one to enter here without my knowledge,"
said Mr. Charles.

"You keep my key, do you not?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have I ever taken it out of this building."

"No, sir."

"Then you think it impossible that I should have been able to have a
duplicate key, and to have entered here without your knowledge?"

"An utter impossibility, sir."

"Can you remember when I was here last?"

"Certainly. It was about two weeks ago, when you told me that you were
going to Boston."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Charles. That is all." Mr. Charles retired and
Mr. Mitchel looked at Mr. Barnes with a smile, saying:

"You see you are wrong again. The jewels were stolen yesterday morning,
and I have not been to this place since, and therefore could not have
placed them in this box. Are you satisfied?"

"No. If you were able to commit the robbery on the train, whilst I
watched your section all night, and to have succeeded in getting the
jewels away although you were searched, you are ingenious enough to have
found a way of getting here without the knowledge of Mr. Charles. Or,
he may be paid to lie for you. I feel too sure that these are the gems,
to be so readily convinced to the contrary."

"So you did watch me that night. Well, I am sorry you had so much
trouble. I must give you further proof? Very good. Examine these." He
took out a package of letters and from them extracted a bill-of-sale,
dated five years previous, in which was once more an accurate
description of the jewels and case. In addition there was pinned to it a
receipt from the New York Custom House for the duties paid, which paper
was also dated back. This was evidence which Mr. Barnes could not
refute. Plainly this particular set of jewels belonged to Mr. Mitchel.

"That is sufficient. It would be folly to arrest you when you could show
those documents to any judge and be released. At the same time, I shall
not forget the coincidence of these two lists, and that one of the
button."

"By the way, Mr. Barnes, would you mind saying where you found that
button?"

"In the room where the woman was murdered."

"No wonder you valued it. I am surprised that