Upon the second flight,
he met the night watchman who, recognizing him, allowed him to pass,
but noting his evident agitation and unaccountable haste, silently and
discreetly followed and took up a position where he could watch every
move of the excited department head. Hastening to the fur safe, Hedin
unlocked and threw it open. He switched on the light, and peered into
the interior. The Russian sable coat was not in its accustomed place.
And a hurried search of the safe showed that it was in no other place.
Closing the door, he inspected the case that contained the less
valuable furs, and it was but the work of a moment to discover that the
baum marten coat was missing. Dumbfounded, he stared at the empty
space where the coat should have been. His brief inspection in the
theatre had told him this was the coat Jean McNabb was wearing--but
where was the sable? He distinctly remembered replacing the marten
with his own hands, and of seeing the girl pass down the aisle wearing
the sable.
He sank into his chair and, leaning forward, buried his face in his
arms upon his desk. He tried to think clearly, but found himself
entirely incapable of thought. How did it happen? Where was the sable?
Calling the watchman, Hedin questioned him for half an hour, but
learned nothing. He even made a personal inspection of every door and
window in the store, and sent the watchman to the basement on a tour of
similar inspection.
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