“How do you know?” asked Dupin.
“Because … things have … not happened. They will happen if the thief … uses the letter.”
“Be clear,” I said.
“Let’s say that the letter offers its holder a … good position.”
The Chief was talking like a politician.
“I still do not understand,” said Dupin.
“Hmm. If the letter is shown to a third person, an important person will look very bad. The thief knows this.”
“So the thief knows that he was seen.” I said. “He knows that the important person knows about this action. Who is brave enough to put himself in that position?”
“The thief is a government minister, Minister D-------. Only he is brave and smart enough for this.”
“Tell us how he did it,” I said.
