"
"Mr. Holmes!"
"If it had it would certainly have been public by now."
"But why should anyone take it in order to keep it in his house?"
"I am not convinced that anyone did take it."
"Then how could it leave the despatch-box?"
"I am not convinced that it ever did leave the despatch-box."
"Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill-timed. You have my
assurance that it left the box."
"Have you examined the box since Tuesday morning?"
"No; it was not necessary."
"You may conceivably have overlooked it."
"Impossible, I say."
"But I am not convinced of it; I have known such things to happen.
I presume there are other papers there. Well, it may have got
mixed with them."
"It was on the top."
"Someone may have shaken the box and displaced it."
"No, no; I had everything out."
"Surely it is easily decided, Hope," said the Premier.
"Let us have the despatch-box brought in."
The Secretary rang the bell.
"Jacobs, bring down my despatch-box. This is a farcical waste
of time, but still, if nothing else will satisfy you, it shall
be done. Thank you, Jacobs; put it here. I have always had the
key on my watch-chain.
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