"I feel that in some way you associate Lady Bartholomew's illness with some horrible act of usury on my part--will you satisfy yourself and in doing so satisfy me ?" Now any ordinary man, and possibly any ordinary detective, would have made the conventional answer.

He would have protested that he had no intention of doing anything of the sort; he would have uttered, if he were a man in the position which T.X.occupied, the conventional statement that he had no authority to search the private papers, and that he would certainly not avail himself of the other's kindness.
But T.X.was not an ordinary person.

He took the key and balanced it lightly in the palm of his hand.
"Is this the key of the famous bedroom safe ?" he said banteringly.
Kara was looking down at him with a quizzical smile.

"It isn't the safe you opened in my absence, on one memorable occasion, Mr.Meredith," he said.

"As you probably know, I have changed that safe, but perhaps you don't feel equal to the task ?" "On the contrary," said T.X., calmly, and rising from the chair, "I am going to put your good faith to the test." For answer Kara walked to the door and opened it.
"Let me show you the way," he said politely.
He passed along the corridor and entered the apartment at the end.