accumulated upon the Key from disuse, remaining undisturbed, showing clearly that the chest could not have been opened by that Key.
The key in the shroff's possession is always kept about his person, and was not out of his possession during the night of the robbery.
The chest must therefore have been opened by a counterfeit Key, but how obtained, I am not able to say, and can only surmise that Asui may have obtained an impression upon wax of the shroff's Key unknown to the latter, from which a counterfeit Key may have been made, at which Chinese handicraftsmen are very expert.
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I have no reason whatever to suspect the honesty of the Shroff who showed as much consternation at the discovery of the robbery as I did myself. And he has been 3 years in the office.
Suspecting that the absent Coolie had proceeded to Canton with his booty, I obtained His Excellency's permission to go in pursuit of him to endeavour, if possible, to apprehend him and to obtain some of the stolen moneys. Leaving Hong Kong at 8 o'clock on the morning of the 11th instant, I reached Canton the same afternoon, and immediately placed myself in communication with H. Parkes, Esq. C.B., one of the alien...