"The drawer has been opened since I was here this morning. The requisition and all the other papers in the case are gone." Griswold examined the lock carefully and pointed to the roughened edges of the wood. "A blade of the shears there, or perhaps the paper cutter--who knows? The matter is simple enough, so please do not trouble about it. Wait here a moment. I want to make some inquiries of the watchman." He found the old fellow pacing the portico like a sentry. He pointed out the attorney-general's office, threw on a few additional lights for Griswold's guidance, and resumed his patrol duty outside. The attorney-general's door was locked, but in response to Griswold's knock it was opened guardedly. "I am very sorry to trouble you, Mr. Bosworth," began Griswold, quietly edging his way into the room, "but one never gets wholly away from business these days." He closed the door himself, and peered into the inner rooms to be sure the attorney-general was alone. Bosworth's face flushed angrily when he found that a stranger had thus entered his office with a cool air of proprietorship; then he stared blankly at Griswold for a moment before he recalled where he had seen him before. "I don't receive visitors at night," he blurted, laying his hand on the door. "I'm engaged, and you'll have to come in office hours." He shook the door as though to call Griswold's attention to it. "Do you see this thing--it's the door!" he roared. "I have seen it from both sides, Mr. Bosworth. I intend to stay on this side until I get ready to go." "Who the devil are you? What do you mean by coming here at this time of night?" "I'm a lawyer myself, if you will force the ignoble truth from me. Now, when you are perfectly quiet, and once more the sane, reasonable human being you must be to have been trusted with the office you hold, we'll proceed to business. Meanwhile, please put on your coat. A man in his shirt-sleeves is always at a disadvantage; and we Virginians are sticklers for the proprieties." The attorney-general's fury abated when he saw that he had to deal with a low-voiced young man who seemed unlikely to yield to intimidation. Griswold had, in fact, seated himself on a table that was otherwise covered with law books, and he sniffed with pleasure the familiar atmosphere of dusty law calf, which no one who has had the slightest acquaintance with a law office ever forgets. To his infinite amusement Bosworth was actually putting on his coat, though it may have been a little absent-mindedly to give him an opportunity to decide upon a plan for getting rid of his visitor. However this may have been, Bosworth now stepped to the side of the room and snatched down the telephone receiver. Griswold caught him by the shoulder and flung him round.