And only an hour ago he had planned the wonderful excursion down the Rio Grande.

That time seemed farther away to him now than the birth of Adam.
And mixed with the horror of the situation was the mystery of it! What motive could have actuate the criminal?
Had the blow been struck by a personal enemy, in payment of a grudge, or had robbery been the motive?
Surely not the latter, for the injured man's valuable watch and chain, his diamonds, were in place.

Stocks and bonds, good in the hands of any holder, lay on the floor in front of the open safe.

A robber would have taken both bonds and jewelry.
The one reasonable theory was that the act had been committed by some person in quest of papers kept in the office files.

The manner in which the desk and safe had been ransacked showed that a thorough search for something had been made.