The chalice was
insured for L5,000, but this was undoubtedly below its actual value. It
was not used constantly, only on the great festivals, and on certain
Saints' days specified by Miss Morrison when she made the gift. The
previous day happened to be one of these Saints' days, and the chalice
had been used at the early celebration. The vicar had put it back into
its case and locked it in the safe himself. The key of the safe had not
been out of his possession since, yet this morning the safe was found
open and the chalice gone.
"You have no suspicion?" I asked.
"None," he answered, but not until after a momentary pause.
"You do not answer very decidedly, Mr. Harding."
"I do, yes, I do really. In a catastrophe of this kind all kinds of ideas
come into the mind, very absurd ones some of them," and he laughed a
little uneasily.
"It would be wise to tell me even the absurd ones," I said.
"Very well, but perhaps you had better examine the vestry and the safe
first," he said as the taxi stopped.
I found the vestry in charge of a constable, and as we entered a
clergyman joined us.
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