e motioned me
fiercely to precede him to the library. Directly we entered it was
clear that something unusual had happened. The great safe door stood
open. Lord Chelsford and the Duke were both awaiting our coming.

CHAPTER XXXVI

I LOSE MY POST

The Duke solemnly closed the door. "Ray," he said, "I am glad that you
are here. Something serious has happened. Mr. Ducaine, Lord Chelsford
and I desire to ask you a few questions."

I bowed. What was coming I could not indeed imagine, unless Ray had
already made the disclosure.

"The word code for the safe to-day was Magenta, I believe?" the Duke
asked.

"That is correct, sir," I answered.

"And it was known to whom?"

"To Lord Chelsford, yourself, Colonel Ray, and myself," I answered.

"And what was there in the safe?" the Duke asked.

"The plans for the Guildford Camp, the new map of Surrey pricked for
fortifications, and one or two transport schemes," I answered.

"Exactly! Those documents are now all missing."

I strode to the safe and looked in. It was as the Duke had said. The
safe was practically empty.

"They were there this morning," I said. "It was arranged that I should
examine the contents of the safe the first thing, and take any finished
work over to the War Office. Do you remember who has been in the room
to-day, sir?"

"Yourself, myself, and the woman whom you brought here an hour or so
ago."

"Mrs. Smith-Lessing?" I exclaimed.

"Precisely!" the Duke remarked, drily.

"Did you leave her alone here?" I asked.

"For two minutes only," the Duke answered. "I was called up on the
telephone from the House of Lords. I did not imagine that there could
be the slightest risk in leaving her, for without the knowledge of that
word Magenta the safe would defy a professional locksmith."

"You will forgive my suggesting it, your Grace," I said, with some
hesitation, "but you have not, I presume, had occasion to go to the safe
during the day?"

"I have not," the Duke answered tersely.

"Then I cannot suggest any explanation of the opening of the safe," I
admitted. "It was impossible for Mrs. Smith-Lessing to have opened it
unless she knew the code word."

"The question is," the Duke said quietly, "did she know it?"

Then I realized the object of this cross-examination. The colour flared
suddenly into my cheeks, and as suddenly left them. The absence of
those papers was extraordinary to me. I utterly failed to understand
it.

"I think I kn