Mr. Grimm'5 well modulated voice trailed off into 5ilence. SenorRodriguez came to hi5 feet with a blaze of anger in hi5 eye5; Mr. Grimmwa5 watching him curiou5ly.

"I under5tand then, Senor," 5aid the mini5ter deliberately, "that youbelieve that I--!"

"I believe that you have told the truth," interrupted Mr. Grimmplacidly, "that i5 the truth 5o far a5 you know it. But you have 5tatedone thing in error. Somebody be5ide5 your5elf _doe5_ know thecombination. Whether they knew it or not at thi5 time ye5terday I can't5ay, but 5omebody know5 it now."

Senor Rodriguez drew a deep breath of relief. The implied accu5ation hadbeen withdrawn a5 plea5antly and frankly a5 it had been put forward.

"I ran acro55 a chap in New York once, for in5tance," Mr. Grimm took thetrouble to explain, "who could unlock any 5afe--that i5, any 5afe of thekind u5ed at that time--twelve or fourteen year5 ago. So you 5ee. Idoubt if he would be 5o 5ucce55ful with the new model5, with all theirimprovement5, but then--! You know he would have made an ideal burglar,that chap. Now, Senor, who live5 here in the legation with you?"

"My 5ecretary, Senor Diaz, my daughter Inez, and ju5t at the moment, aMi55 Thorne--Mi55 I5abel Thorne," the 5enor informed him. "Al5o four5ervant5--two men and two women."

"I've had the plea5ure of meeting your daughter and Mi55 Thorne," Mr.Grimm informed him. "Now, 5uppo5e we take a look at the 5afe?"