Mrs. Plant fumbled with the handkerchief in her hand and surreptitiously wiped her mouth. “Thank you so much, both of you,” she said in a low voice. Roger jumped suddenly to his feet. “Hullo!” he exclaimed, putting an end to a difficult pause. “Isn’t that the inspector just going up to the front door? Let’s go in and watch the safe being opened, shall we?” Chapter XI Lady Stanworth Exchanges Glances Leaving Alec to accompany Mrs. Plant to the house, Roger hurried on ahead with a muttered excuse. He was anxious not to miss a moment of the highly significant scene which was about to take place. As he reached the hall, Jefferson was in the act of greeting the perspiring inspector. “I’m sorry you have had all this trouble, Inspector,” he was saying. “It’s too bad on a day like this.” “It is a bit warm, sir,” the inspector admitted, mopping vigorously. “I should have thought they might have provided you with a car or something. Hullo, Sheringham. Come to see the safe opened?” “If the inspector has no objections,” Roger said. “Me, sir? Not in the least. In fact, I think everybody concerned ought to be present. Not that I really expect to find anything particularly important, but you never know, do you?” “Never,” said Roger gravely. “Well, Lady Stanworth will be down in a minute, no doubt,” Jefferson remarked; “and then we can see to it. You had no difficulty in getting the combination, Inspector?” “None at all, sir. It was only a question of ringing up the makers. Whew! It _is_ hot!” Roger had been watching Jefferson carefully. There was no doubt that, whatever his feelings about the opening of the safe had been in the morning, he was now quite unperturbed. Roger was more convinced than ever that something of the first importance must have occurred to effect this radical change. A slow tread overhead caused him to look up. Lady Stanworth was descending the stairs. “Ah, here is Lady Stanworth,” the inspector observed, with a slight bow. Lady Stanworth inclined her head coldly. “You wish me to be present at this formality, Inspector?” she asked distantly. The inspector looked slightly taken aback. “Well, I think it would be better, my lady,” he replied, a trifle deprecatingly. “As the only surviving relative of the deceased’s, you know. But of course if you have any——” “I was not a relative of Mr. Stanworth’s,” Lady Stanworth interrupted in the same tone. “I thought I had made that clear to you this morning. He was my brother-in-law.” “Quite so, quite so,” said the inspector apologetically. “I should perhaps have said _connection_. It is usual for the nearest connection to be present when——”