“My desk is the same way,” Iris declared angrily. “Was anything taken?” Doris questioned quietly. “Yes, several important papers.” Doris and Kitty, not greatly surprised at this news, glanced significantly at each other. The twins, observing them, regarded the girls rather sharply. “Was any one here yesterday while we were gone?” Azalea questioned Cora who had remained in the room. “No, ma’am. There wasn’t any one in that wing all day—except of course the young ladies.” “What do you mean?” Doris demanded. “We never set foot in that part of the house.” The housekeeper merely stared at them in feigned astonishment and shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t understand who would want the papers,” Iris said quietly, but she looked queerly at Doris and Kitty. “Of course, the bonds may be more valuable than we thought.” “In all the time I’ve been at the mansion nothing like this ever happened,” Cora murmured. Kitty and Doris cast irritated glances at the housekeeper. They realized all too well that she was trying to build up an alibi for herself by calling attention to her past service. “Perhaps it would clear up matters if you girls would tell the housekeeper what you were doing yesterday,” Azalea suggested in her gentle voice. “Why—we weren’t doing much—of anything,” Kitty stammered. The question embarrassed her. She could not very well tell the Misses Gates that she and Doris had taken it into their heads to explore every nook and cranny of the old mansion. It would appear to the ladies that they had abused their hospitality. “We were in our room part of the time,” Doris said. “And where were you the rest of it?” Cora demanded harshly. “We weren’t in the left wing at any rate!” Doris retorted, with growing indignation. Azalea and Iris, greatly disturbed, looked uncertainly from one to the other. They did not know what to say or how to handle the difficult situation. “I’ll call Henry in,” Cora announced. “He can tell you where these girls were yesterday!” She stepped to the door and called to her husband who was in the garden. He came readily and, as the girls had expected, corroborated Cora’s story. “Right after you ladies went to the bank they said they were going for a walk,” he told the twins. “They started out but as soon as they thought they had thrown us off the track they stole back into the house. My wife and I heard them go into the left wing and knowin’ they had no business there we sort of listened. They went into your room, Miss Azalea, and closed the door. Later we heard ’em in the room adjoining.” “Can this be true?” Azalea asked the girls, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. “No, of course it isn’t,” Doris returned. “What isn’t true?” a loud voice demanded, and they all turned to see Ronald Trent standing in the doorway. To the embarrassment of the girls he was quickly told of the accusation against them. They knew they could expect no help from him.