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170
THE SURAKARTA

his secretary's table, he observed that Lorine, in settling herself before the books, was no less resolutely—and obviously—busying herself with them. He had left the doors of his vault standing open on purpose. She had not yet betrayed the least interest in that direction. He stepped from his office into the next and closed the door behind him. The partition was wood set with frosted glass through which it was not possible for him to see into his own office; but, from the position of the light over his desk, he knew he must see upon the frosted glass Lorine's shadow if she left the desk to move toward the vault. But she did not move.

Listening, while he waited, he heard a man's step pass in the hall outside. That, in itself, was not significant as a few of the other offices upon the floor often were used in