"'Well, sir, now you bring me to it, things come to my mind.'
"'Whenever I come into the room,' said Mrs. Middlemore, 'and the desk was open, Mr. Felix used to shut it up quick.'
"'I'm sure I shouldn't 'ave made no use of 'em; least of all, bad use.'
"'That is not the point. He closed the desk quickly when another person was by, with an evident wish to keep all possible knowledge of them to himself.'
"'It looks like that. You _do_ push a thing close.'
"Our reporter accepted this as a compliment, and continued:
"'That appears to establish the fact that this desk--which probably was brought from India, Mrs. Middlemore--contained M. Felix's private papers?'
"'It do, sir,' said Mrs. Middlemore, admiringly.
"'And, therefore, papers of importance. The desk was inlaid with silver, Mrs. Middlemore.'
"'Lor', sir!' exclaimed Mrs. Middlemore, doubtless regarding our reporter as a man who dealt in enchantments. 'How did you find out that?'
"'When M. Felix had visitors, was this desk ever allowed to lie carelessly about?'
"'No, sir. At them times he used to keep it in 'is bedroom, on a little table by the side of 'is bed.'
"'Let us look through the bedroom, and see if it is there.'
"They searched the bedroom thoroughly, without finding it.
"'It is undoubtedly gone,' said our reporter.
"'Mrs. Middlemore, when M. Felix was found dead in his chair, was this desk in either of the rooms?'
"'The probability, however, is that it had gone when the door was forced open?'
"'The police could scarcely take it away without your knowledge?'
"'Had they done so, they would certainly have been exceeding their duties. Now, do not answer the questions I put to you too quickly. Were you in these rooms on the day before M. Felix's death?'
"'I couldn't see it with no others,' replied Mrs. Middlemore, smirking, in approval of her small wit.
"'Of course, you could not. Is there any particular reason why you are so positive of this?'
"'Well, sir, Mr. Felix wanted something, and rung for me; and when I come into the room he was sitting at this table with the desk open before him, and all the papers scattered about.'
"'That fixes it. Did he seem to be searching for, or examining with more than usual interest, any special document?'