Barthwick. [Regarding him uneasily.] Well I ’ll say no more about it. [He rings the bell.] I ’ll pass it over for this once, but——­ [Marlow Comes in.] You can clear away.

     [He hides his face behind the “Times.”]

Jack. [Brightening.] I say, Marlow, where are the cigarettes?

Marlow.  I put the box out with the whisky last night, sir, but this morning I can’t find it anywhere.

Jack.  Did you look in my room?

Marlow.  Yes, sir; I’ve looked all over the house.  I found two Nestor ends in the tray this morning, so you must have been smokin’ last night, sir. [Hesitating.] I ’m really afraid some one’s purloined the box.

Jack. [Uneasily.] Stolen it!

Barthwick.  What’s that?  The cigarette-box!  Is anything else missing?

Marlow.  No, sir; I ’ve been through the plate.

Barthwick.  Was the house all right this morning?  None of the windows open?

Marlow.  No, sir. [Quietly to Jack.] You left your latch-key in the door last night, sir.

     [He hands it back, unseen by Barthwick]

Jack.  Tst!

Barthwick.  Who’s been in the room this morning?

Marlow.  Me and Wheeler, and Mrs. Jones is all, sir, as far as I know.

Barthwick.  Have you asked Mrs. Barthwick?

[To Jack.] Go and ask your mother if she’s had it; ask her to look and see if she’s missed anything else.

     [Jack goes upon this mission.]

Nothing is more disquieting than losing things like this.

Marlow.  No, sir.

Barthwick.  Have you any suspicions?

Marlow, No, sir.

Barthwick.  This Mrs. Jones—­how long has she been working here?

Marlow.  Only this last month, sir.

Barthwick.  What sort of person?

Marlow.  I don’t know much about her, sir; seems a very quiet, respectable woman.

Barthwick.  Who did the room this morning?

Marlow.  Wheeler and Mrs. Jones, Sir.

Barthwick. [With his forefinger upraised.] Now, was this Mrs.
Jones in the room alone at any time?

Marlow. [Expressionless.] Yes, Sir.

Barthwick.  How do you know that?

Marlow. [Reluctantly.] I found her here, sir.

Barthwick.  And has Wheeler been in the room alone?

Marlow.  No, sir, she’s not, sir.  I should say, sir, that Mrs.
Jones seems a very honest——­

Barthwick. [Holding up his hand.] I want to know this:  Has this
Mrs. Jones been here the whole morning?

Marlow.  Yes, sir—­no, sir—­she stepped over to the greengrocer’s for cook.