“No, no, never!” Beckwith quickly asserted. “Mr. Gordon is a gentleman, and soon to be married. Miss Perrot knows her place, and has always kept it, so far as I have observed.” “At what time did she and Gordon leave here yesterday afternoon?” “I don’t know. They were the last to leave.” “Who was the last before them?” “I was. It then was about four o’clock. All the other clerks had gone.” “Where was Mr. Gordon when you left?” “Here in his private office. He was talking with Miss Perrot.” “Was the door open?” “Yes.” “Was he dictating letters, or----” “No, he was talking with her,” Beckwith interrupted. “I could not tell what he was saying, however, for both were talking in French.” “Have they been in the habit of doing so?” “Sometimes. Mr. Gordon speaks the language fluently and Miss Perrot is of French descent. I think that is one reason why he employed her when she applied for a situation.” “Has her work been satisfactory?” “Yes, perfectly.” “You are the cashier?” “Yes. I have charge here, subject to Mr. Gordon’s orders, of course.” “Did you close and lock the vault before leaving?” “I did not. Mr. Gordon had been using two books that always are put in the vault,” Beckwith proceeded to explain. “I asked him if I should do so, and close it before leaving, but he replied that he would attend to it, and that I might go. I did so, of course, not knowing how long he might remain here.” “That left Gordon and Miss Perrot alone here.” “Yes.” “Are you sure that the missing cash, bonds, and securities then were in the vault?” Chick inquired. “I am positive about the cash, for I had put it in the vault within half an hour,” Beckwith replied. “The bonds and securities, however, were tied in several packages, and were in an interior drawer, or should have been. They have been there for nearly a month, as we have had no occasion to use them.” “Did Miss Perrot know they were there?” “She did.” “Has she had access to the vault when in performance of her customary duties?” “Yes, at times. Mr. Gordon frequently sent her to the vault for books, papers, or whatever he might want.” “Could she have opened the interior drawer containing the bonds and securities?” “Not without a key.” “Who has a key to it?” “Only Mr. Gordon and myself.” “That drawer is always kept locked, I infer?” “Yes, certainly.” “Could Pauline Perrot, by any means, have obtained an impression of your key to that particular drawer?” “No, no, it would have been impossible,” Beckwith declared. “My keys are never out of my possession.” “How about Gordon’s?” “It might have been possible, Mr. Carter. He sometimes leaves his ring of keys hanging in the lock of his roll-top desk, after having opened it. I have seen them there, and cautioned him about it. But it is a habit of his.” “I see,” Chick nodded. “How recently, speaking positively, can you say that the bonds and securities were in the drawer?”