The lock on the great safe, which contained thousands of dollars'
worth of diamonds, was intact; but in the top of the safe a huge
hole was found--an irregular, round hole, big enough to put your
foot through. Imagine it, Professor Kennedy, a great hole in a
safe that is made of chrome steel, a safe that, short of a
safety-deposit vault, ought to be about the strongest thing on
earth.
"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.
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