“Why, that steel would dull and splinter even the finest diamond-drill before it made an impression.  The mere taking out and refitting of drills into the brace would be a most lengthy process.  Eighteen or twenty hours is the time by actual test which it would take to bore such a hole through those laminated plates, even if there were means of exerting artificial pressure.  As for the police, they haven’t even a theory yet.”

“And the diamonds”

“All gone—­everything of any value was gone.  Even the letter-files were ransacked.  His desk was broken open, and papers of some nature had been taken out of it.  Thorough is no name for the job.  Isn’t that enough to arouse suspicion?”

“I should like to see that safe,” was all Kennedy said.

“So you shall, so you shall,” said Mr. Andrews.  “Then we may retain you in our service?  My car is waiting down-stairs.  We can go right down to Maiden Lane if you wish.”

“You may retain me on one condition,” said Craig without moving.  “I am to be free to get at the truth whether it benefits or hurts the company, and the case is to be entirely in my hands.”

“Hats on,” agreed Mr. Andrews, reaching in his vest pocket and pulling out three or four brevas.  “My chauffeur is quite a driver.  He can almost beat the subway down.”

“First, to my laboratory,” interposed Craig.  “It will take only a few minutes.”

We drove up to the university and stopped on the campus while Craig hurried into the Chemistry Building to get something.

“I like your professor of criminal science;” said Andrews to me, blowing a huge fragrant cloud of smoke.

I, for my part, liked the vice-president.  He was a man who seemed thoroughly to enjoy life, to have most of the good things, and a capacity for getting out of them all that was humanly possible.  He seemed to be particularly enjoying this Morowitch case.

“He has solved some knotty cases,” was all I said.  “I’ve come to believe there is no limit to his resourcefulness.”

“I hope not.  He’s up against a tough one this trip, though, my boy.”

I did not even resent the “my boy.”  Andrews was one of those men in whom we newspaper writers instinctively believe.  I knew that it would be “pens lifted” only so long as the case was incomplete.  When the time comes with such men they are ready to furnish us the best “copy” in the world.

Kennedy quickly rejoined us, carrying a couple of little glass bottles with ground-glass stoppers.

Morowitch & Co. was, of course, closed when we arrived, but we had no trouble in being admitted by the Central Office man who had been detailed to lock the barn door after the horse was stolen.  It was precisely as Mr. Andrews had said.  Mr. Kahan showed us the safe.  Through the top a great hole had been made—­I say made, for at the moment I was at a loss to know whether it had been cut, drilled, burned, blown out, or what-not.