“Yesterday a very strange thing happened in this house while we were away—­a very serious thing, I may say, and one which gives me considerable uneasiness.  Last night I came into the library to work, just after dinner.  I opened the safe and found that some one had been rummaging among the papers in there.”

“Oh, Papa,” ejaculated Billie anxiously, knowing the value of those documents.

“They were all there, but they had been disturbed.  There had been an attempt made to trace off some of the drawings.  The specifications and descriptions had been tampered with, too.  I never dreamed such a thing could be managed in the daytime with the house full of servants.  The two watchmen would prevent even a possibility of it at night.  Whoever did it must have laid his plans well, or else—­”

Mr. Campbell paused and looked at his daughter very hard.

“Nancy has been greatly troubled about something lately, hasn’t she, little daughter?”

“Yes, Papa, she has, but it’s nothing serious,” said Billie stoutly.  “Just the heat and that absurd business about Yoritomo.  You know she did really make eyes at him a good deal.”

“Where was she yesterday?”

“In her room, I suppose?”

“Billie, I called several of the servants in last night and questioned them about this business here,” he pointed to the safe in the corner.  “I called them in separately and each one made the same statement.  Nancy spent most of the day in this room.”

Billie started.

“I can’t believe it.  I won’t believe it,” she cried, rising to her feet in her excitement.

“They told a pretty straight story and they had no reason, as far as I can see, for telling any other kind.”

“But what does Nancy know about opening a safe, Papa?  It’s absurd.  And besides what would she want with plans for government improvements or whatever they are?”

“I’m just as much in the dark as you are, Billie.  I’m only telling you what O’Haru and Onoye and Komatsu told me.  She went into the library twice during the day; once for a little while in the morning, and after lunch when the servants were in the back of the house, Onoye saw her come out of the garden in a pouring rain.  She marched straight to this room and locked the door behind her and here she remained until not long before we returned.”

“Papa, I’ll never go back on Nancy,” cried Billie.  “I’ll never believe she did it—­even—­well, even if she were to tell me so herself!  I know her as well as I know myself.  I know all her ins and outs, you might say.  She’s simply incapable of doing a dishonest thing.  Besides, what earthly use could she have with those papers?”

“Do you think she could be doing it for some one else?” asked Mr. Campbell.

“No,” burst out Billie, almost angrily.  “Why, Papa, I’m ashamed of you,”

Mr. Campbell drew his daughter to him and kissed her.