d Captain Dancy had finished billiards. What was Mr De Levis
doing out of his room, if I may ask, sir?

WINSOR. Having a bath; with his room locked and the key in his pocket.

TREISURE. Thank you, sir.

DE LEVIS. [Conscious of indefinable suspicion] Damn it! What do you
mean? I WAS!

TREISURE. I beg your pardon, sir.

WINSOR. [Concealing a smile] Look here, Treisure, it's infernally
awkward for everybody.

TREISURE. It is, sir.

WINSOR. What do you suggest?

TREISURE. The proper thing, sir, I suppose, would be a cordon and a
complete search--in our interests.

WINSOR. I entirely refuse to suspect anybody.

TREISURE. But if Mr De Levis feels otherwise, sir?

DE LEVIS. [Stammering] I? All I know is--the money was there, and it's
gone.

WINSOR. [Compunctious] Quite! It's pretty sickening for you. But so
it is for anybody else. However, we must do our best to get it back for
you.

A knock on the door.

WINSOR. Hallo!

TREISURE opens the door, and GENERAL. CANYNGE enters.

Oh! It's you, General. Come in. Adela's told you?

GENERAL CANYNGE nods. He is a slim man of about sixty, very well
preserved, intensely neat and self-contained, and still in evening
dress. His eyelids droop slightly, but his eyes are keen and his
expression astute.

WINSOR. Well, General, what's the first move?

CANYNGE. [Lifting his eyebrows] Mr De Levis presses the matter?

DE Levis. [Flicked again] Unless you think it's too plebeian of me,
General Canynge--a thousand pounds.

CANYNGE. [Drily] Just so! Then we must wait for the police, WINSOR.
Lady Adela has got through to them. What height are these rooms from the
ground, Treisure?

TREISURE. Twenty-three feet from the terrace, sir.

CANYNGE. Any ladders near?

TREISURE. One in the stables, Sir, very heavy. No others within three
hundred yards.

CANYNGE. Just slip down, and see whether that's been moved.

TREISURE. Very good, General. [He goes out.]

DE LEVIS. [Uneasily] Of course, he--I suppose you--

WINSOR. We do.

CANYNGE. You had better leave this in our hands, De Levis.

DE LEVIS. Certainly; only, the way he--

WINSOR. [Curtly] Treisure has been here since he was a boy. I should as
soon suspect myself.

DE LEVIS. [Looking from one to the other--with sudden anger] You seem
to think--! What was I to do? Take it lying down and let whoever it is
get clear off? I suppose it